Ace of Hearts
by SenatorSolo
Summary: Two opposite missions, two opposite people. One love with nothing to bring them together and everything to keep them apart. "You're going to get yourself killed," whispered Draco. "Well you no longer have to be a part of it!" huffed Ginny.
1. Prologue

Prologue

* * *

"If only I had what they have," said Ginny to Hermione, motioning to Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil who were currently schmoozing with their boyfriends of the week. Ginny had been single since Harry had broken it off with her at the end of her fifth year. It was now the evening of the third day of her sixth year. From the beginning she had known that it wasn't going to work out between them. Harry was stuck in a saving-the-world mentality which was just too depressing for Ginny's wild and rampant nature. She wanted spice in a relationship, and Harry just couldn't provide it. Not that she didn't miss him terribly, but what she had with him was a friendship, not a _relationship_.

"I know what you mean," Hermione replied, "well, I used to. I used to think that there was nobody out there for me. But Ginny, at least you have good looks, a sense of humor, and plenty of wit. That's sure to attract any boy you want to you. I've never had any of that, it was luck really that your git of a brother fell for my buck teeth and bookish charm." Hermione jumped as two arms circled her from behind.

"So I'm a git now?" asked Ron, turning red as Ginny raised an eyebrow at him. He had finally gotten up the nerve to ask Hermione out over the summer, egged on by Tonks and Lupin, who had also recently gotten together.

Tonks and Lupin were present when Ginny was made into a full member of the Order, a secret organization that took an active stand against Voldemort and his followers, the Death Eaters. Lupin had become a senior member when Dumbledore was killed and was technically the head of the Order, though he liked to share the title with Harry. He had also been present, (the only one present), when Ginny was assigned with a task that was essential in the war against Voldemort. He, in private, had handed her a small piece of paper with her task and told her not to speak of it to anyone. At first, Ginny's heart had leapt at being given such an important mission, but slowly fell back down as she realized how hard it was going to be for her to complete. The paper had only three words:

_Turn Draco Spy_

She had watched him with the eye of an eagle all throughout the first few days of school. Last year, Draco had been extremely quiet, moody, and often had dark circles under his eyes. This year's Draco, the 'new Draco,' as Ginny thought of him, appeared much more healthy and outspoken around the Slytherins. He seemed to be quite back to his old self. Still as rude, still as good at potions, and, oh God, still as attractive, maybe even more so, (even Gryffindor's weren't immune to it). After watching him for two days, Ginny felt she needed to make a plan. She bid goodnight to Ron and Hermione, both of whom had gone starry-eyed and breathless, and headed up to her dormitory to brainstorm.

The first thing she needed to do, she decided, was find a way to spend more time with him. She only had one class with him, advanced potions, (or so she suspected), and that was it. She resolved to try to sit close to him tomorrow during class. She would also try to step up the number of their 'random' meetings, crossing paths in the hallway, making eye contact, detention, etc. She decided that one time this week, she would purposefully try to get a detention with him. Fighting in the hallway maybe? That way it would be quite easy for her to talk to him and watch him to see if he really had changed. The second stage of her plan would have her become friends or even romantic interests with him so that she might hold some sway over his emotions. In theory, the plan seemed rather simple, but Ginny had the feeling that it would be very complex.

The next morning, Ginny walked quickly to the dungeons after breakfast so that she might get a seat in the back corner, where Draco liked to sit. Luckily, Ginny got to the classroom before Draco, or anyone else, had showed up. She took her place at his favorite table. The classroom filled quietly as time went on and nobody seemed to see Ginny, leaving a place for Draco, but Draco didn't show up either. She was beginning to second guess herself about him being in this class, but finally he stormed in. He looked around at the full classroom and spotted that the only empty seat was next to Ginny. He hissed his displeasure at her as he threw himself into the seat beside her. She smiled serenely.

The door slammed shut as Snape strode in. "Look to the person whom you are sitting by at this precise moment. This person will be your working partner for the rest of the year. I recommend that you get to know them quite well, for many times this year, your life will be in their hands." He surveyed the class and sneered at Ginny, the only Gryffindor. "Today you will be making a potion that I find quite frivolous, but the ministry deems necessary for you to learn. You will be creating a variation on a love potion that causes the drinker to relieve all his or her deepest feelings about the maker. The instructions are on the board. You have one hour."

Ginny often wondered why Snape had been reinstated as the potions teacher, but was never told the true reason. She suspected that the Order wanted to keep a close eye on him and could do that easily at Hogwarts, since so many teachers and students were members. Regardless, luck was on her side today, being paired with Malfoy.

"I don't know how you do it, Weasley," sneered Draco, cutting up boomslang skin, "but every year we seen to spend more and more time with each other. Is my attractiveness just too magnetic for you to resist?" He ran his tongue along his upper lip seductively, causing Ginny to blush profusely.

"You're only as magnetic as my ass," said Ginny, wincing internally at her terrible comeback. She could feel his eyes raking over her spine and looking at her lower back. Well, hopefully her lower back. Looking up from her billywig stings, she found that he was, in fact, watching her. "See something you like?"

Draco sniffed and forcefully slammed his silver knife onto his cutting board, smashing a newt's eye and spraying blood all over Ginny. "Like I would lower myself into such a low class to look at you as if you were attractive. Which you aren't."

Ginny smiled at herself. It was going to be easier to pick a fight than she had thought. "Malfoy," she said, grabbing his attention. "What's this?" She held up a jatterbie liver and tossed it at him, causing it to land in his hair. Then she cast an enlargement charm on it. There were two seconds between the time Draco felt it in his hair and the time it exploded, covering everyone within a five foot range with bits of liver and bodily juices.

Snape was out of the store cupboard in a flash, robes billowing out behind him. "What happened here?" he asked in a deadly voice. The class went silent. He took in the sight of a sopping wet Draco, trembling with fury, and the rest of the class, staring at Ginny.

She looked at Draco and smirked. "It was my fault, professor." Snape stared at her. "I was trying to add the jatterbie liver to the cauldron when it flew out of my hand and onto Malfoy's head. It must have touched the billywig stings, 'cause it exploded." If only she could tell whether or not he believed her.

"I can see that," Snape paused, taking in the classroom. "Detention. Both of you. Draco, for not noticing your partner's stupidity, and Weasley, for being stupid. Both of you clean up the mess and get out of my sight. Be back here right after dinner for your punishments.

Ginny smiled to herself as she cleaned out the cauldron. All in all, it had gone perfectly, though she did have to take a zero for today. Together they walked out of the classroom, Draco still fuming.

"You did that on purpose," he said, eyes flashing dangerously.

"Yes," she said evenly.

"Why?"

"I'll admit it," she said sarcastically, "you must be more magnetic than I thought for you to have attracted a dead creature's liver. I've got to hand it to you; I never knew you could be so alluring."

"You're dead, Weasley," Draco hissed.

"Oh, I don't think so. I am still walking and talking. Do I smell dead or something?" She knew that she was pushing his boundaries really far, but it was just so much fun to tempt him into doing something he would regret. Or something she would regret. She saw the look of total rage on his face and gave in. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry. I did it on purpose."

"Why?" he hissed.

"I wanted to spend quality time with you," she said quickly.

Draco just sniffed.

Draco Malfoy had a secret. He had lived in dismal conditions for the summer. After his father had been turned in, he had fled home, so he had to spend his summer in Algeria, hiding from even his own shadow. Before his escape, his father had wanted to get Draco initiated as a Death Eater, and when he refused, Lucius turned his wand on his own flesh and blood, intent on causing as much pain as he possibly could. Draco had survived that round of curses, hexes, and physical blows, but if the Dark Lord himself hadn't stepped in, Draco was sure that he wouldn't have lasted the whole summer.

He was lucky, but there had been a condition he'd agreed to when the Dark Lord stepped in. Voldemort did not require Draco's loyalty as a Death Eater, but his loyalty as a Hogwart's student. The Dark Lord needed a favor, he needed help that no one else could give him. What the Dark Lord asked of Draco broke his heart, but Draco had agreed because the Dark Lord had saved his life.

"Bring me Arthur Weasley's youngest child."

She was going to be used as bait, he knew, for the great Harry Potter. Voldemort had gotten wind of their more-than-friendly relationship and decided that if Ginny was in danger, Harry would come. But Draco would not let that happen, despite how much he disliked Harry. He had seen the look in Dumbledore's eyes when he stood before him last year, wand poised to strike.

It was a look of terror and calm, love and trust all in one. It was a look that broke Draco's heart and made him lose his resolve in a split second. He knew then that he had been on the wrong side and he vowed to never again do something that would go against Dumbledore's basic principles.

So, he was going to have to try to change Voldemort's mind about needing Ginny. If it seemed like Harry hated Ginny, then using Ginny as bait would be useless. He needed to become friends enough with Ginny to tell her what was planned, and how to change the plans of the Dark Lord.

The words spoken to him by Voldemort rang in his ears as he walked away from Ginny in the hallway, leaving her in the middle of the entrance hall. He suddenly felt bad, as if leaving her was something that he should not do, that it was the wrong thing to do. Despite everything that his mind was telling him, his feet walked him back to her side.

"I'm sorry," he said to her, feeling a bit weird about apologizing. "I didn't have a very good summer."

Ginny's eyes instantly softened. "It's okay, I goaded you into reacting." They watched each other awkwardly for a few minutes. "Do you want to play poker?" she asked. "We have time before our next class."

"Strip poker?"

"It's too early in the morning for strip poker," she laughed, a light jingle bell laugh.

"What if I enchant the room to make it seem like night?"

"I don't think so."


	2. Detention

Detention

* * *

Draco and Ginny played poker for about twenty minutes before classes ended. Ginny had been surprised at how good a player Draco was, she didn't think that he would ever have bent himself low enough to learn a muggle game. Part of why he was good was his icy personality though, the one that was always full of disdain and hatred.

"I have three kings," said Ginny at the end of a round.

"I have a royal straight," smirked Draco, amused at the expression in Ginny's eyes that told him she thought that she would win.

"You just got lucky," huffed Ginny.

Draco just smiled and cleaned up the cards as Ginny mumbled about how she should have won and how the next time they played, she would win. They both stood up, Ginny stretched, and headed toward the door.

"Good game, Weasley," called Draco as he began walking down the hall toward his next class, "but you still got me a detention, I may just have to get revenge."

Ginny closed the door quietly behind her and walked thoughtfully to transfiguration. Draco sure didn't seem like the type of guy who answered to Voldemort and carried out all of Voldemort's plans, but that didn't explain last year. Last year when he brought all the Death Eaters into the building, last year when he almost killed Dumbledore, last year when his whole personality was ice, last year. Ginny was so deep in thought that she didn't notice when she ran head on into a tall Slytherin.

"What where you're going, Weasel," said a female voice.

Ginny looked up into the pug-face of Pansy Parkinson. "You could have said 'excuse me.'"

"Why bother? You obviously wouldn't have heard me. You were off in Weasel Land where all the little weasels go to do naughty things with each other," scoffed Pansy.

"At least a weasel is prettier than a pug," retorted Ginny.

Pansy gave a venomous look to Ginny and swaggered down the hallway to her next class. Ginny's eyes followed her back until she could no longer be seen, hatred written all over them. Pansy's torturing of Ginny had been almost intolerable from the moment Ginny stepped off the train, but she tried to deal with them by thinking about how soon, Draco would be more her friend than Pansy's.

When Ginny finally made it to charms class, she took a seat next to Samantha Brilbrain, a Hufflepuff, and set about thinking for solutions to her Draco question, why did he act like that last year? So engrossed in thought she was that when tiny Professor Flitwick called her name three times, she still didn't answer, only noticing that he was talking to her after getting a kick in the shin from Samantha.

"The bubblehead charm," answered Ginny, looking up at Professor Flitwick, creating laughter throughout the entire class.

"Well," said Flitwick, "that is a very interesting answer. Miss Weasley, I had asked you what was the first charm you would use if you were attacked by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Can you explain why you chose that spell?"

"Um, yes. If we were to meet, I would really want to, uh, protect my head," stammered Ginny.

"Miss Weasley, I believe that you were wrongly informed about the uses of the bubblehead charm. That charm is used to help one breathe underwater, if attacked, it would protect your head from absolutely nothing except water."

Ginny knew this, of course, not being a stupid girl. "Oh yes, Professor. I forgot."

"Well, be sure not to forget again. It would be a life or death situation."

Ginny nodded and was greatly relieved when class was dismissed with no homework. She rushed straight to the Great Hall for some more Draco sightseeing, trying to see if the way he acted had changed since she'd seen him this morning.

It hadn't.

He was sitting with his arm around Pansy Parkinson, something that infuriated Ginny beyond belief for a reason that she didn't know, laughing at something that one of his other friends had said or was saying. She couldn't tell.

"Gin, why are you staring at the Slytherin table?" asked Harry Potter, coming to sit down beside her.

"No reason," Ginny hissed between her teeth.

"I feel like that sometimes too," agreed Harry. "They all just get on my nerves so much, especially Malfoy," Ginny stiffened, "I can't even pinpoint the incidents that make me want to hurt them, I just know that I do." Harry served himself some blood pudding and a slice of lemon pie, then filled Ginny's plate with the same thing.

"Thanks, Harry," said Ginny, staring at the blood pudding and realizing that she wasn't hungry.

"So, Gin, how's your day been?" asked Harry, stuffing his mouth.

"Oh, it's not been bad. I got detention in potions, but who am I to hope otherwise, Snape loathes me. Then I had charms and um, we talked about the bubblehead charm."

"Well that's good," said Harry. He had finished his lemon pie and was scooting ever closer to Ginny. When he finally scooted to the point where Ginny was practically sitting on his lap, he stopped. "Hey Gin?"

"Hmm?"

"I think we should start going out again."

"WHAT?" she asked. Harry's arm had snaked its way around her waist and was holding her close, preventing her from getting up and walking away. Ginny lifted her eyes, looking past Harry's and at the Slytherin table. She did not miss the small flash of rage that flitted across Draco Malfoy's face.

"I know I hurt you at the end of last year," said Harry, his face coming in close to Ginny's. "But I think you should give me another chance. We could be wonderful together, lounging by the lake on weekends, sitting with each other in the common room, holding hands in the hallways," his voice drifted off as his head leaned in even closer, lips lightly resting on Ginny's. Ginny, to her own surprise, kissed him back as she had when they were dating.

"Excuse me," drawled a familiar voice from across the room. "Some people are eating and are extremely disgusted to see two Gryffindors, of all people, sucking face. If you don't stop now, I might have to retch."

Ginny stopped kissing Harry immediately and pushed him away. "He's right, Harry. I'm not really a giver of second chances. We already broke it off. I'm sorry." Harry stared at her bewildered as she stood up and walked away.

Ginny felt a bit bad about turning Harry down again, but over the summer she had seriously thought about it, and Harry was not the right one for her. Anyway, she had already given him a second chance. The first one was when she gave him the card, (His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad, his hair is as dark as a blackboard), and his second chance was her fifth year, when they went out, but he broke it off. It was against her morals to give anyone a third chance.

The rest of the day passed rather uneventfully for Ginny, having only one class that afternoon and dinner, where she sat with Neville, well away from Harry. And right after dinner she had detention. Lovely.

She left the Great Hall early and headed down to Snape's office for detention. Unluckily, Draco did not like to be on time, so Ginny had to sit, miserably, in the office while Snape stared menacingly at her, waiting for Draco to show up. Finally, he did.

"Sorry, I'm late," he smirked.

"Well, Mister Malfoy," said Snape, "now that you've decided to grace us with your presence, I can assign detentions. First, you will both organize and clean the storage cupboard, with no magic. Then, you will both sit in my classroom and think about your stupidity for however long it takes. Then you may go."

They both mumbled a "Yes, sir," and gave him their wands before heading into the potions classroom and setting about cleaning the storage cupboard. They worked in silence for half an hour. Right when Ginny was dusting off a vial of Yellow Granikell Eyes, Draco spoke up.

"You've got me in close quarters with you again, Weasley. You really do need to tell me your secret for pulling in attractive guys like me."

"But secrets aren't meant to be told, Malfoy," said Ginny, replacing the vial and getting down another one to dust.

"I saw you with Saint Potter today," said Draco, mimicking a prayer posture.

"Yes," said Ginny shortly. Draco looked at her as if expecting an answer. "If you must know, I turned him down."

Draco looked immensely relieved for a split second, before putting his icy mask back on. "I hope you hurt his ego in the process?"

"Not on purpose if I did."

They resumed working in silence until the vials were all dusted, then they began organizing the supplies. "I saw you with Pansy Parkinson today," said Ginny, disgust on her voice.

"Yes."

There was a long pause. "Well, are you going out with her? The whole school wants to know."

"The whole school already knows that I only go to Pansy if I want a nice long snog."

"And she doesn't mind that you use her like that?" asked Ginny incredulously.

"No."

They resumed working in silence until the storage cupboard was entirely clean and organized. Professor Snape okay-ed it before ushering them into the potions classroom and locking them in, telling them they would only be let out when they had discussed and resolved their differences.

"So, Malfoy, what are our differences?" asked Ginny.

"Well, you have breasts and I have a penis."

Ginny blushed bright red. "I meant–"

"I know what you meant, Weasley. It's just much more fun to watch you get all flushed." Draco smirked.

"Well. I've thought of a difference, albeit an obvious one. I'm in Gryffindor and you are in Slytherin," said Ginny, her face going back to its normal color.

"I'm attractive and you're not."

"I have good friends and you don't." A flash of anger showed up on Draco's face and was quickly suppressed. Ginny caught then and the wheels in her head began turning. "Oh my God!" she exclaimed. "You're jealous."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Jealous. You are jealous of Harry!" she proclaimed.

"Why would I be jealous of scarhead?"

"Because he got to kiss me," Ginny smiled. "It's okay. He's not going to kiss me anymore. I told him that we would never work out and he seemed to listen to me."

Draco's eyes widened as Ginny got closer to him and quickly pressed her lips up against his. For once in his life, the Slytherin Sex God was unresponsive. But only for a split second.

Right in the middle of the snog, in walks Professor Snape. Angry. He slammed the door open and stormed in. "I take it you've worked out your personal differences?" he snarled.

"Yessir," said Ginny.

"Yessir," said Draco.

And they ran out of the room, their wands beating them over the head.


	3. Breaking Down

Breaking Down

* * *

After running out of the detention classroom together, Ginny and Draco split up, each lost in their own confusing thoughts. _Why did she kiss me? What on earth possessed me to kiss him? Did I like that kiss? Am I his girlfriend now? What will I do the next time I see him? Why didn't I kiss back at first? What a fiery little red-head._ Neither knew quite what to do.

Ginny ran back to the Gryffindor common room, her head full of tumultuous thoughts. Technically, she could convince Draco to come to the good side by seducing him and waiving her influence over his head that way, but for some reason, it seemed really dishonest. She would just have to convince him with friendship and . . . persuasive skills? She reached the painting of the Fat Lady faster than she normally would have because she was preoccupied and let herself in, hoping she could run upstairs and go to bed. Unfortunately...

"Ginny? I really would like you to reconsider going out with me," said Harry, coming up to greet her as she walked in, leaving his spot in the corner with Ron and Hermione, who were doing something else, (together), anyways.

"No."

"What about that kiss?"

"Harry, it didn't mean anything. I really don't think that we mesh well," she said, going to sit down on a couch in front of the fireplace.

"Mesh well? How do you know whether we mesh well together? We weren't dating for long enough to tell, if only you would give me another chance, we could see if we mesh."

"Harry," Ginny sighed, "you were the one who broke up with me, you shouldn't be the one begging for another chance."

"Well," said Harry, his voice rising, "you weren't going to do it anytime soon, so I took initiative." His voice changed to pleading, "Please Ginny, you won't be happy without me."

That was the final straw. "You're too late Harry, I've already found happiness in someone else."

"Who?" asked Harry, angry, "Ron and I will kill him."

Too late Ginny realized her mistake of 'finding happiness in someone else,' she would have to tell them that she was with Draco, and then go explain her mistake to him. "He'll fight back harder than you two could beat him up." By now Ginny had gathered a crowd. Well, Ron and Hermione had joined her and Harry's conversation, finished doing whatever they were doing in the corner.

"Who is it, Ginny?" asked Ron is a low, deadly voice.

"Draco," stated Ginny defiantly.

"WHAT?" shouted the trio.

"Yeah, and I have a date with him right now, so I'll be going," she said, and dashed out of the room into the hallway. She didn't know quite what had made her tell them that she had a date with Draco at eleven o'clock on a Wednesday evening, but she supposed that it had something to do with not wanting to explain herself. Now she was stuck wandering the hallways until the trio fell asleep. Which they weren't likely to do anytime soon. In fact, it sounded like they were running after her.

She dashed down a several sets of stairs, ending up by the Great Hall. She looked around wildly, and made a left turn, taking her down another set of stairs towards Snape's dungeon, but before reaching the classroom, she made another turn and blocked herself into a dead end. She saw three shadows run past the corridor in which she was standing and pressed herself even farther back, squishing a portrait.

"Hey, watch where you're leaning!" the curly-haired man shouted indignantly.

"I'm sorry," whispered Ginny, "they're looking for me."

"Are you a pureblood?"

"Yes," replied Ginny.

"Then by all means come in, it's the least I can do to provide sanctuary for one in need." The portrait opened inwards creating a passage for Ginny to sneak in to. She crawled in quickly, hearing a shout of 'there she is!' as the picture shut behind her. She followed the passage and eventually found herself in a room completely decorated with green and silver. Was it possible that she was in the Slytherin common room?

Yes.

But it was deserted. She saw another portrait of the same man guarding the entrance hanging on the wall and decided to talk to him. "Excuse me, have you seen Draco Malfoy recently?" she asked.

"Why yes I have, I see him every day in fact. I believe that he has one of the private rooms, take that door," he pointed, "and then knock on the sixth door on the left. I think that's his," the painting said helpfully.

"Thank you, sir," said Ginny, walking towards the door he had pointed to. She followed the path he had laid out for her and stopped in front of a black door with a small 'DAM' engraved in the wood. Ginny briefly wondered what his middle name was. She knocked, hoping very much that she wasn't waking him up.

The door opened and out peered a very miffed Draco. "What do you want?" he asked.

"Help," was Ginny's reply.

"Do come in," said Draco, acting the part of a courteous doorman, but with a bratty demeanor. He waited until Ginny had some in before shutting, and locking, the door and taking a seat on a soft, velvet-covered chair. "How did you get in here?"

"The portrait asked me if I was pureblood," said Ginny, her voice wavering as if she was about to cry.

Draco did not like crying ladies. "Would you like a toffee?"

"Excuse me?"

"A toffee."

Ginny took one and stared at it moodily, tears threatening to spill over.

"If you aren't going to eat it, I will," said Draco, taking if from her hand and popping it into his mouth.

"I told Harry, Ron, and Hermione that we were going out."

It was Draco's turn to say excuse me.

Ginny looked at him. "Harry keeps trying to go back out with me. I got back from detention tonight and he ambushed me in the common room telling me that we mesh well and that we need to be together. It just sort of slipped out. And I panicked and said that we had a date and ran out of the room, ending up here." Draco's semi-disgusted expression threw her over the edge, the dam broke and the tears ran free, pouring down her face. "I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I really am. I didn't mean it to happen."

Draco patted her head awkwardly as she cried and mumbled sweet nothings in an effort to get her to calm down. It wasn't working.

"And that cow Pansy Parkinson makes my life miserable! I really want her to grown warts all over her face or something. And my brother needs to grow up, and you! You need to grow less handsome so I wouldn't feel so damn attracted to you, Harry needs to understand that I'm not going to go out with him again, and I need to be more happy in my life. Lupin needs to realize that it'll be impossible to do my job and oh, I just don't know anything anymore!" Ginny ranted, sniffling and crying still.

Draco let her cry it out for a few minutes before talking. "Hey Weasley, I'll make you a deal. I'll be your boyfriend in public if you grant me one favor, whenever I decide to use it."

"You'd do that for me?" sniffed Ginny.

"Yes," whispered Draco, too quietly to hear.


	4. Awkward Mishaps

Awkward Mishaps

* * *

Ginny cried herself dry in Draco's room for several hours, ('til about one), before heading back to the Gryffindor dorms for some sleep. Unfortunately, when she arrived in the common room, Ginny realized that fate had a different idea about what to do with her sleeping time.

Standing there, staring at her when she walked in, were Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"Ginny?" Hermione was the first to speak. "You're all flushed, what have you been doing?"

Ron and Harry took in the sight of her tear-streaked face and mistook the damp paths of tears for the damp paths of a tongue. "Ewww, Ginevra Weasley, you are the most sick, perverted, disgusting sister I've ever had. I don't know where else that tongue of his went, but I wouldn't be surprised if you had wet streaks all down your stomach and legs. I want to strip search you!" shouted Ron.

"Uhhh, well, I don't feel comfortable exposing myself to the boys in this room." She gave a pointed look at Harry and a look of disdain at Ron.

"But obviously you don't mind exposing yourself to boys outside this room!" Ron declared.

"Well, technically," began Hermione, but was cut off.

"No, Herm, I don't want to hear it. I just want to say one thing. Malfoy will pay for corrupting you!" said Ron before stomping up to his room, dragging a protesting Harry behind him.

Once she was sure they had gone upstairs, (there was a door slam to prove it), Ginny said four words, "But I was crying," before heading up to her room as well, trying to block out the horrible look on Ron's face when he had looked at her. Overall, the night did not did not pass well for the golden trio and Ron's little sister. Ginny cried herself to sleep, while Ron and Harry plotted and planned several different ways to castrate Malfoy in a public place without getting into much trouble, one of which included building a large castrating machine that would walk up to Malfoy, pull down his pants, and slam two bricks on the family jewels, causing extreme pain and detaching them from the body.

The next day began much as it usually did, but progressed on a sour and angry note. Breakfast was an affair to be remembered. Pictures with Ginny's, Draco's, and Harry's face were posted all throughout the Great Hall. It looked slightly like a family tree. Ginny was connected to both Harry and Draco, and little lines led down from the connections to show what hypothetical kids would look like, below that it asked, 'which kid is better looking?' Ron felt sick whenever he thought about Ginny having a kid with anybody, so Harry had put these up and created them. Unfortunately, he had a little problem when trying to create the Malfoy/Weasley child and it looked grotesquely out of proportion. The Potter/Weasley child was obviously the correct answer.

Upon catching sight of these posters, Ginny sank down in her seat, turning bright red as she did. Draco, however, came up with a witty retort, "Maybe his kid is cuter, but she's not having sex with _him."_

This caused Ron to sputter and turn slightly green before shouting about how it isn't possible for Ginny to have sex because she's only a sixth year and she has to wait until marriage.

"Not everyone waits 'til marriage, Ronald," said Ginny before leaving the Great Hall and sitting down in the foyer near the library for some peace and quiet. Several moments later, she was joined by none other than the sexy-person-who-she-is, (supposedly) having-sex-with, Draco Malfoy.

"How are you doing?" he asked quietly, sitting on the floor next to her.

"Better," replied Ginny. "A bit amused actually since my brother thinks I'm a sex addict."

Draco snorted and thumped Ginny on the head. Unfortunately, (as many unfortunate things were happening today), Ginny was not a very balanced person and fell over. Her head went straight into his crotch. And of course, Hermione, Ron, and Harry chose this exact moment to come finish their transfiguration homework in the library.

Draco moaned, more out of the pain of the sudden impact of Ginny's head on a 'certain area,' than anything remotely sexual. The trio, however, took it as a moan of ecstasy.

"Oh. My. God," cried Harry, dashing away into the library. "Never again, I'll have to cleanse my eyes. Never ever again."

Ginny shot up upon hearing Harry's voice and was greeted by one pair of inquisitive eyes, one pair of disgusted eyes, and one pair of amused eyes. Draco mimed doing up his zipper, and said, loud and proud, "Thank you, dearest Ginny." Ron practically wretched while Hermione grimaced and demanded an explanation.

Before Ginny could even begin to think, Draco spoke. "This was a private hallway before you three came along, and you know what private hallways are used for," he smirked.

Ginny giggled. She was having a terrible day, yet she giggled. Well, it was a weird situation, she decided to play along. "Draco, honey, why don't we find a more private area where we can raise London Bridge again, it seems to have fallen down." She looked pointedly at his crotch.

Ron turned green and ran for the nearest bathroom, shouting back a "You'll pay for this," as Ginny and Draco disappeared around the corner, laughing outrageously.

They split for classes after sharing a private laugh and the afternoon actually went rather well for Ginny. She was given plenty of time to think about her growing relationship with Draco, even if it was only used to make fun of the trio. She still needed more time to get close enough to Draco in order to change his mind about being a follower of his father, but so far, it seemed as if he wasn't going to take that path anyways. He seemed too nice.

The day took a turn for the worse at dinner. Harry and Ron seemed to have regained their courage and were trying to duel Malfoy. Luckily, Malfoy knew better than to react to the empty threats thrown at him by the Gryffindor table. He just smirked at his food and smiled occasionally at Ginny.

The last laugh that day did not go to Ginny and Draco for their crazy mock blow job, but to Ron and Harry, who had come up with an awful prank to rival the stunt pulled in the hallway. After slipping something into Ginny's drink before dinner, (Hermione didn't like this part of the prank and refused to take part), Ginny would drink it. Which she did.

Ginny stood up. "DRACO MALFOY," she shouted, gathering the attention of everyone in the great hall. "When I look at you, I get these fluttery feelings in the pit of my stomach and I have this strange urge to jump your bones and shag you over the horizon. I used to think that you were an awful person, and that you hated me for being a Weasley, but now, I don't know quite what to think. I think that you like me, but I don't really know. I have this incredible lust that bubbles over in potions where I sit next to you. Draco, I think I really like you." Ginny sat down composedly for several seconds before acting as if she was shaking out of a trance. "Oh my God! You drugged me with that potion that I made in class the other day, that deep feelings one! What is wrong with you people?" Ginny burst into tears before running out of the hall.

"Now look what you've done," said Draco, dashing out of the room after her.


	5. For Real

For Real

* * *

After Ginny had left the Great Hall crying and dreadfully embarrassed, Draco wasn't quite sure what to think. She had basically just admitted her 'lusting crush' on him to the whole entire school. Truthfully, he didn't really mind that he was being crushed on by the fiery girl, but was rather distressed when he thought about what his father would think. But... this could work to his advantage. He would pretend to be fulfilling the Dark Lord's quest for him, (Bring me Arthur Weasley's youngest child), while actually getting close enough to Ginny to tell her about his plan to save her from the Dark Lord's order, (not that there was actually that much to do, as it seemed as if Potter really did hate Ginny). And do some boyfriend type things in the process. All in all, not too bad of a thing to deal with.

He dashed out of the hallway after her, throwing a quick remark at the Gryffindor table on his way to find her. And find her he did, sitting right next to a tall statue of a centaur, wiping her eyes and blowing her nose. He watched her for a few minutes before beginning to talk. "Ginny-" he began.

"I'm sorry, Draco. I didn't, I mean, I can't help but," Ginny stammered.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I think I agree with most of the things you said, directed at you of course, not at me," said Draco, sitting down next to her.

"You do?"

"Yeah. I really do. No more of this pretending stuff, we don't have to put on a front to the school so that they think we are dating, we can just show them that we actually are dating. All the gossip will die down in several days. Hours if I have anything to do with it."

Ginny managed a small giggle, which was interrupted by a hiccup, making a "heekeeupphee" sound, starting Ginny on a small round of laughs. "Well," she said, gaining control of herself, "I don't quite know what to say."

Draco stood up and helped Ginny to her feet. "I say that we have some major revenge to plan." Ginny smirked.

"I cannot believe that you pulled off that horrible prank at dinner," said Hermione. "It was completely foolish of me to assume you wouldn't succeed, and you should know better, Ronald. Your own sister!"

"She deserved it," said Ron, looking pleadingly at Harry, who nodded.

"And you," said Hermione, rounding on Harry, "you should know better than to try and force a girl to go out with you. Seriously, have you not had that experience yourself, you know how it feels when you just don't like the person that way."

"Well, she's crazy not to like him," said Ron. "He's the bloody Boy-Who-Lived." He paused for emphasis. "And she chooses Malfoy. Malfoy. The name just reeks of Death-Eater-ness. She'll be corrupted and give him information about the Order in their throws of passion," he turned a shade darker, "and he will pass it on to 'the Dark Lord' and everyone in the Order will be killed because of her need for a quick shag."

"Do not talk about Ginny that way," said Hermione. "If I didn't know better I'd really think that you didn't want her to be happy or something. At least, with Malfoy, she's found a guy who will listen to her own problems instead of telling her about how she may just have to quit dating him because he's got to go kill Voldemort. Honestly Harry, maybe she doesn't want to come back to you because you are so self-centered, and Ronald, always trying to make her do things the way you want her to do them, not the way she wants to do them." She took a deep breath and glared at the two boys. "I'm going to go find Ginny and apologize. You would do well to follow my example." And with that, she left the room, leaving two dumbstruck boys staring after her.

Meanwhile, Ginny and Draco had gone for a quick walk around the lake in the nice autumn weather. Hermione came upon them mid-conversation. A conversation that quickly ended when she arrived at the scene.

"Ginny," she started, "I just want to apologize. I believe that you are old enough to make your own decisions, even though they may be under-researched. I'm really sorry for not stopping Ron with that potion earlier today in the Great Hall. I hope you can forgive me."

"Of course I forgive you, Hermione," said Ginny, bounding over to give her a hug. She leaned closer, whispering into Hermione's ear, "And it's not under-researched. Don't worry about me. He's not like the rest of them."

Hermione nodded to Draco before heading back into the castle. "If you ever need to talk," she called back.

When she had left, Ginny was practically ecstatic. "I just knew that Hermione would come around, I knew it. I don't think that it'll be so easy for Harry and Ron though, they just don't trust you. Of course, it's probably more because of your father than you, but still."

"Ginny," said Draco seriously, taking her hand, "when Potter does come around, I need you to keep on pretending to hate him."

Ginny looked at him quizzically.

"Just trust me. The Dark Lord has a plan to get Harry into his grasp, but if you hate Harry, really, seriously, detest Harry, then the plan will fail. Trust me. This is that favor you owe me."

Ginny stopped walking and looked deep into Draco's grey-silver eyes. They looked truthful. "Okay. I'll trust you, but when the time comes, I need more information."

Draco nodded curtly.

Ginny ran off towards the lake. "C'mon Draco! You need to lighten up a bit," she called.

He walked forward a little bit, a sense of foreboding playing around in his head. He was right. As soon as he got close enough, Ginny splashed lake water at him, getting his robes and hair extremely damp.

"Get in the water Draco!" Ginny shouted, fully immersed in the lake.

He only had time to murmur, "Malfoy's don't get wet," before Ginny succeeded in dragging him in, soaking him to the bone.

Three stories up, looking through a staircase window, Hermione smiled.


	6. Confrontation

Confrontation

* * *

Ginny walked back upstairs after a wonderful evening, one that was greatly improved by Hermione's apology. She practically shouted the password to the Fat Lady, winning her a stern reprimand about house privacy. Her happiness dimmed a little bit when she realized that Harry and Ron had in fact not gone to bed and we giving her stern looks from their chairs by the window.

When Ginny approached, feeling the need to apologize though it was them who should really be apologizing, Ron huffed and turned away, while Harry said, "I thought I knew you better."

"If you really knew me Harry, you would know that I can't be tied down if I don't want to be," Ginny said. "I'm sorry I can't give you what you want. But I am going to follow my heart." _And my orders,_ she thought.

"By saying no to me, you are betraying the Order," growled Harry.

"Are you insane? Maybe I don't want all the photographers in my life. I don't want all the glitz and glamour. I don't really want you, Harry. You may be the center of the media universe, but you aren't the center of my universe." And she stomped off to bed.

Ginny tossed and turned for about an hour before realizing that her attempts were futile. She was usually one of those people who could just crash at the end of the day, and if she wasn't crashing by now, she wasn't sleeping. She just had too much on her mind. It called for a letter.

_Dear Malfoy, (and I say that in an affectionate way),_

_I can't sleep. Obviously. I guess I just want to say thank you. Last year you would have made fun of me for my, let's just call it a declaration, in the Great Hall. Thanks for just accepting it, and agreeing with it. You were much more of a man about it than anyone else I've ever dated. Now that we're dating. So, there was something I wanted to ask you about. You said that I needed to still be mad at Harry in order to thwart a plan of Voldemort's. Why aren't you trying to help him anymore? I mean, I'm not trying to insult you, but what made you change your mind? Are you trying to work against him now? I guess I just want to get to know that part of you better. Sleep well._

_Ginny_

A letter, she rationalized, was the easiest way for her to get her questions out in the open. She quickly sealed the note and walked, secretly, up to the Owlery to deliver it, for Harry would not have let her borrow Hedwig even if she asked.

Harry. Man, he was annoying. Why didn't he just understand that she didn't want to kiss him again? She didn't want to love him again? She couldn't put herself through the ordeal of the past six years of her life. Her obsession with the great Harry Potter had finally come to an end, and he just couldn't take it.

But Malfoy, Malfoy was new. Malfoy was uncharted territory.


	7. Plan of Action

Plan of Action

* * *

Ginny awoke to an owl pecking at her toes, which were protruding from beneath her sheets. Not having remembered falling asleep, she was elated to see that the owl was carrying two letters with "Ginny" written on the front in Draco's elegant print.

_Dearest Ginny,_

_You should know by now that I am not the person who I was last year. I will tell you what happened over the summer, but right now I'm not going to answer all of your questions. It's not the right time yet for me to spill all of my secrets. Returning home from school last year was a nightmare. My home was always awake due various friends of my father's visiting every night at all hours, whenever_He_wanted something. I was tortured for not fulfilling the wishes of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named to the extent that he wished. In short, I could not bring myself to kill Professor Dumbledore. Killing him was supposed to be the task that would be my final initiation into the ranks of the Death Eaters. Fortunately for both of us, I failed and in the last few minutes of his life, I realized what my own was becoming and who my father wanted me to be._

_The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of emotion for me. I am glad that we are becoming…more than simply friendly. And I know that you are very curious about the favor that I have asked of you, but right now I believe that it would be really unsafe for you to know all the details. I know that right now you aren't on the friendliest terms with Harry Potter- and please trust me, it needs to stay that way. If you become his friend again, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named will get what he wants. And trust me, you don't want that. I would tell you if I didn't think that you and the rest of your Order would come up with a plan to counteract this one, but mine's going to work. And that's all you need to know._

_Draco_

The letter made Ginny even more curious as to what Draco's plans were. She just really wanted to know what Draco had up his sleeve. Oh, she trusted him all right, but that didn't mean she couldn't wonder. She resolved to focus more on how she could persuade Draco to become a spy for the Order and that way he would be compelled to tell her all his secrets. She opened the second letter.

_You fell asleep, didn't you? I reply ten minutes after you sent you letter and now you don't have the common decency to reply to mine. Hhmph._

Ginny knew he was kidding but decided that she wasn't going to send him the type of reply that he wanted. He would just have to do with seeing her at the breakfast table. Dressed in her nicest robes. Over her tightest jeans and the shirt that enhanced her cleavage the most. _Ha_, she thought, _what a way for me to say good morning. He'll forget about the letter in no time._

Ginny felt quite self-conscious as she strutted into the Great Hall past the Gryffindor table to give Draco a quick kiss and to confirm that they had time to meet after breakfast before sitting down next to Hermione, who thankfully was sitting away from both Harry and Ron.

"You know," Hermione said, looking down from her Daily Post, "Ron and Harry will come around, Ginny. I promise. I know of several cases in ancient history where family members have been disowned because of their choices in a partner, and almost every time the families come around. Or at least one of the families involved in the rift."

"What about the times when the families didn't come around?" asked Ginny.

"—Erm, well, the consequences for the disowned person were not usually lenient."

"Like what happened to them?"

"In one case in 1567, the witch in question was burned at the stake while her husband was dismembered by trolls. And again in 1790 the wizard was forced to watch as his wife was eaten slowly by a dragon and then he was remarried to someone, and I quote, _more acceptable_. Of course he then committed suicide…"

"Hermione," Ginny interrupted. Her face looked rather white. "I don't want to know anymore."

"Oh!" she gasped. "I didn't mean that something like that was going to happen to you! It's very rare. And I know your parents. They would never—"

"Hermione," Ginny warned.

"Sorry!"

Draco was watching this interaction from his place at the Slytherin table. He really didn't understand why Ginny was bothering to be friends with Hermione. Sure, she was the first one to come around, but it seemed to him that Ginny didn't actually have many of her own friends and just hung out with friends of her brothers. Not that he had any ideas. Pansy definitely wasn't the type of person who would be friendly with Ginny, Crabbe and Goyle had too much of the Death Eater lifestyle engrained on their minds, Blaise would try to get into her pants…and the Gryffindor's just didn't seem to be Ginny's type of people. Draco didn't mind this. In fact, he felt a tickle of jealousy every time he thought of Ginny being friends with anyone who wasn't him. He glanced over at Ginny again. She was now laughing at something that Hermione had said. Man, her smile was perfect. The thought that Ginny's smile had once been face down on his crotch only weeks before almost raised London Bridge, (as Ginny had called it). He snickered but controlled himself.

Or thought he did.

Draco stood up from his place between Pansy Parkinson and Elias Carrow and strutted to the Gryffindor table to fetch Ginny so that they could chat before class started. The giggles started at the Slytherin table and followed him over to Ginny, who, when Draco came to rest right behind her, straightened up quickly and blushed crimson.

"What is wrong with you?" she hissed. "What the hell is that?" She turned around and glanced downwards.

Now it was Malfoy's turn to blush crimson. Except, being as pale as he was, crimson wasn't really possibly and he instead turned a tulip pink. "Uhm, pardon me. I was just thinking about—"

"Draco!" a voice shouted across the Great Hall. A voice attached to a pug like face and a slight smile. Draco and Ginny turned. "Why are you talking to _her_when I know you're hard for me?"

Ginny blanched. She did NOT just hear that.

Luckily, being the quick thinker he was and paying no attention to his quite obvious boner, Draco called back, "Pansy, thinking about you is the quickest way I know of to become as limp as a cooked noodle."

Pansy sauntered over to the pair, all eyes in the Great Hall following the drama. "But Drakey-Poo, I know you remember the time on the train when I was wearing that really short skirt, and those black undies-I know you know the ones I'm talking about."

Hermione gasped as many others at the Gryffindor table made retching noises at the thought of seeing Pansy in her underwear.

"They make underwear that fit you, Pansy?" Draco sneered. "That's interesting. I didn't know any amount of fabric would be able to cover up your massive ass."

Other students began to cheer for either Draco or Pansy. The odds were definitely in Draco's favor. Nobody liked Pansy.

"I know you like my ass, Draco. You've pinched it before." Pansy's retorts were weakening.

Ginny thought it was her turn to strike. "You think it was Draco that pinched your ass?" She turned and looked up at Draco. "I can't believe she thinks it was you."

Pansy nodded. "I know it was. It was dark but I'm sure he was right behind me."

"Pansy, I've got to tell you something," Ginny whispered, standing up to whisper something in her ear. "It happens all the time. Girls think they're walking with a boyfriend when all of a sudden the lights go out and their ass gets pinched. What you don't know is that Filch and Finicus, (Filch's sidekick), play this game where Finicus gets to paralyze all the boys and Filch gets to pinch all the girls. I think they get off on it if you know what I mean."

Pansy turned a dull shade of maroon and huffed out of the Great Hall, not bothering to challenge the fact that Ginny had simply made up a friend for Filch.

Ginny turned to Draco, whose bridge had thankfully collapsed. "Let's get out of here, shall we?"

Draco and Ginny were sitting at the edge of the lake. There was this great oak tree that had been around for hundreds of years that shaded the area perfectly during the spring, though now all its leaves had fallen off. They claimed the spot as their own.

"Gin, I know I told you this in my letter last night, but it's really important that you make Potter hate you. And not just be mad at you for a while. He needs to really hate you."

"And you're not going to tell me why? I have to do something to make my former semi-boyfriend, not to mention my brother's best friend, hate me. And I don't get to know why?" Ginny frowned. "That's not fair."

"You promised me that you'd give me one favor. I held up one end of the bargain-quite considerably I might add since we are now definitely dating, and I need you to hold up yours. Soon. I promise I will tell you everything when it's safer for you to know."

Ginny played with a strand of her hair and studied Draco. He looked pretty earnest and she believed him. She looked up. "Well, do you have a plan?"

"What does Potter hate more than anything in the world?"

"Voldemort. Easy."

"And is there anything else he hates in a comparable manner?"

"Being wrong?"

"Ginny, you are not being helpful. I have some ideas, but you have to give me a little something to work with."

"Okay, okay. Let me think." Ginny laid back on the leaf pile that Draco and she had made earlier. It crinkled nicely. "He hates when there's a problem that he can't fix, he hates potions, he hates that Sirius is dead, he hates goat cheese, he hates the thought of anyone else having me...he hates you, a lot."

"Well that's it then, isn't it?" asked Draco.

Ginny stared at him blankly.

"We're going to have to get married."


	8. Hatred

Hatred

* * *

Ginny snorted. "Come on, Draco. That's no way to propose to a lady."

"I'm being serious"

Ginny paused for a moment. "Absolutely not! I will do everything in my power to make Harry hate me for the rest of eternity, but I will NOT marry you. I'm sixteen for goodness sake!"

Draco grabbed her hand. "Ginny, this is the only way! We can get divorced right after, if you want. We just can't let He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named get his hands on Harry." _Or you,_ he thought. He kept hearing Voldemort's voice in his head, "Bring me Arthur Weasley's youngest child," like it was on replay. There was no way that he was going to condemn Ginny to that fate. Not only would she have to endure torturing of all kinds by the Death Eaters, she would then have to sit by and watch as Potter was killed because of her, and then the realization that after Harry was killed, the wand was going to be turned on her for the final time. No. He wouldn't let that occur. Too much had happened in the past few months for him to even think about betraying Ginny.

"I am not going to marry you!" said Ginny stubbornly, crossing her arms. "We've been together for like two months and you didn't even ask me nicely! Not to mention my parents! And yours!"

Draco wasn't worried about his parents. They would probably see it as a way for Draco to get back into Voldemort's good graces. And of course, everything would be solved once both Ginny and Harry were dead.

"Draco," Ginny interrupted his musings, "I like you. I really do-I mean, I stand by what I said in the Great Hall. You've changed so much-and definitely for the better. I just can't marry you. There has to be another way."

She looked so sincere that Draco almost did want to get down on one knee and do it the right way, but she also had resolve and defiance written in her eyes. "I'll make you a deal."

"Aw Draco, I don't want to make any more deals! I always end up having to do ridiculous things and I don't even get to know why!" She pouted.

"No, this is a really good one-I promise," said Draco. "Let's give it one week. You can do anything and everything you can think of to make Harry hate you. But if at the end of the week, he doesn't hate you down to his bone marrow, we'll go with my plan,"

"But—"

Draco held up a finger. "I was going to continue until I was so rudely interrupted." He cleared his throat. "If we have to go with my plan, I will grant you one favor to be redeemed whenever you see fit. And you get me, of course, and I'm a pretty good prize to begin with." He looked at her expectantly.

"Well…" Ginny began. She was thinking hard. She had a couple ideas of how to make Harry hate her, the final resort being to simply ask him. The idea that she got one favor was an interesting one, however, and could possibly be the simplest way to fulfill her mission for the order. "Okay. I'll do it," she said.

He smiled, relieved that she had said yes. He highly doubted that any of her own ideas were going to work, but he thought he'd let her try it. And a week was a small enough period of time to wait. As long as it saved Ginny. Honestly, he couldn't care less about the survival of Harry. If he weren't The Boy Who Lived, he'd just be some Gryffindor who wasn't as smart as he thought he was and was obnoxious both in class and out. But Draco knew what the world would be like with Voldemort in power. Life was already becoming tinged with the darkness that followed Voldemort wherever he went. The rapes, the murders, the muggle-borns who were found by their neighbors looking as if they'd been scared to death. With the rise of Voldemort, everything would get a hundred times worse. Muggle-borns would be round up and put in zoos where followers could do whatever they wanted with them, squibs would be outright killed, and anyone who had any connection to the late Professor Dumbledore would be tortured until they begged for death. And they'd never get it. For this one reason, he respected Harry Potter. It is one thing to be a part of a resistance, but quite another to be the one destined to murder the villain. He would have been terrified.

"Okay, well," Ginny was saying, "I've got transfiguration, so I have to go." She stood up and kissed Draco's forehead. "I'm going to brainstorm some ideas tonight and get started with Operation Hate in the morning."

Operation Hate. It sounded more like something that Voldemort would think up. Draco grabbed Ginny's hand as she turned to leave. "I really hope this works."

So. How to make Harry hate her? As much as it pained Ginny to admit it, a marriage to Draco would probably be just the thing. It would make her look like a traitor to the Order though, which could pose problems when she completed her mission and then had to convince everyone that Draco was actually a good spy.

Ginny started a list.

_Ways to Make Harry Hate Me:_

_1. Marry Draco  
2. Become best friends with Pansy  
3. Insult all of Harry's friends to the point that they hate me and would prevent him from ever having anything to do with me again, (warn them first?)  
4. Tell him it was actually me who killed Sirius with an off target curse instead of Bellatrix  
5. Ask him to hate me for his own good  
6. Steal Hedwig  
7. Curse him.  
8. Move into Slytherin quarters_

Ginny looked at her list. Number one was out of the question as far as she was concerned. Number two would be as much punishment for her as it would be for Harry; therefore it was also out of the question. Three was definitely possible, four was also possible, but it'd suck to admit to something she didn't do. Five was a last resort. Six would just piss him off, but probably not make him hate Ginny. Seven was pretty much insane. And eight was too similar to number one, (with even more adverse side effects), for Ginny's pleasure. That meant that her only options were three, four, five, and eight.

But even then there were problems with each of the plans. Three was unlikely to work simply because one of Harry's best friends was her brother. And as much as Ginny sometimes seemed to get on Ron's nerves, the kid really loved her. She would also never be able to get Hermione to turn against her-meaning that Harry would never be turned either. As long as Hermione had faith in Ginny, Ron and Harry both would too. Ginny worried about the believability of plan four. So many people had been present when Sirius had been killed; surely one of them had actually seen Bellatrix's shot. Five wouldn't work. Harry was never good at doing what he was told…and eight? Well, Ginny was pretty sure it was against the school rules.

She looked down at her list. She'd crossed off every choice but number one. _Well shit._She understood where Draco was coming from. Half of her wanted to marry him just because of the excitement. She glanced down at her list again. Every other option had been crossed off for one reason or another. Why hadn't she crossed off number one too? Sure, marrying Draco would probably make Harry really mad, and probably a little sad, but would it make him hate her? No. She didn't think it would.

Ginny had one idea left. But before she tried to figure out how to implement it, she really needed to know the reasoning behind Draco's plan. She needed to know why Harry had to hate her. She needed answers to all of her questions.


	9. Why

Why

* * *

Ginny decided to start small. After all, she did have a week to make Harry hate her. She was hoping that a bunch of little things would add up over the course of the week and then the deal would be sealed with one final event that would blow Harry's mind. Of course, she couldn't do it all on her own. She needed Draco's help. But not until after a good night's sleep, so that Ginny could brace herself for what she was about to do and the disappointment she was about to cause.

Her mood was worsened in the morning when she received an unlabeled owl at breakfast. It was obviously hastily written: _Ginny, any luck yet with Draco Malfoy? The Order could really use some information sooner rather than later. We're all counting on you. _Ginny frowned as the letter ripped itself to shreds and instantaneously burned to ash. Why hadn't she just asked Malfoy if he would be a spy? He'd obviously changed, and even though it would be dangerous for him, Malfoy was an excellent liar, and could probably handle the pressure. It would be so much easier to just go up to him and ask him than to wait until she was granted a favor and technically force him into agreement. She decided to ask Draco the next time she saw him in private. Along with asking for help with making Harry hate her.

She quickly scrawled a note back to Lupin: _Working on it, hopefully I'll have some good news later tonight_. Oh how she hoped that would be the case. It would be fantastic to feel the weight of this task lifted from her shoulders, so that the only weight remaining was that of Draco's agenda, whatever that was. She had to find out.

Classes passed slowly that day until Advanced Transfiguration, the only class that Ginny shared with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Conveniently, Harry was still angry at Ginny for refusing to re-become his girlfriend, which would make it easier to make him even angrier when class let out. Knowing full well that she was about to alienate herself from all of her friends in Gryffindor, Ginny followed Harry out of class and called after him, "Hey Potter, I noticed you got every single question that McGonagall asked you today wrong. Maybe The Dark Lord did inflict some damage when he added that scar to your head."

Behind Ginny, Hermione gasped, both at the fact that she had called Harry "Potter" and that she had referred to You-Know-Who as "The Dark Lord." It obviously wasn't surprising to Hermione that Harry had gotten everything wrong.

Ron flipped. "WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?" he cried, attracting the eyes of everyone in the corridor. "First, you're suddenly 'dating' Malfoy, now you're insulting Harry and talking like a Slytherin!"

"I wasn't talking to you, Ronald," Ginny seethed. "Potter knows I'm right, don't you Potter? The Dark Lord made you into who you are. A stupid boy with a scar on his head. He made you famous. You should thank him."

Harry turned, face red with anger and wand raised, "You—"

"No fighting in the hallways!" McGonagall just exited her classroom and came upon the frozen crowd, all watching Harry. "Move along now."

Ginny slipped away through the shadows while Harry glowered.

The rest of the day passed uneventfully. Ginny successfully avoided seeing the trio. She didn't feel like she could face them at all. Though she knew that she was doing it for some sort of reason, seeing the shock on all three of their faces earlier in the day had been too much for her. She hated the fact that her three best friends in the whole world now found her to be a disappointment and a liar. She had to know why.

She scrawled a quick note to Draco: _Meet me in the room of requirement at 10:00PM. _And went there early to wait and think things through.

The room had prepared itself nicely; there was a roaring fire in the fireplace and two cozy chairs pulled up in front of it, a table between them with a tray of petit fours and two steaming mugs of hot chocolate. Draco arrived early, took one look at Ginny's sullen face, and spoke, "What's wrong?"

Ginny sat cross legged in her chair. "Today I made three of my best friends in the whole world very angry." She told him the story of what had passed after Transfiguration. "I figure that if I do this all week long, you know, insult him and tell him that he's worthless and call You-Know-Who 'The Dark Lord,' then Harry will be fully primed for what I plan on doing on Friday. He'll be completely ready to hate me."

"And what's going to happen on Friday?"

"Well," started Ginny, "that's what I need your help with. I want to somehow to get Harry to overhear a conversation that you and I are going to have. I was thinking that we could be seen harshly whispering in the shadows of the entrance hall or something about a scheduling conflict between myself and You-Know-Who."

Draco almost choked on his hot chocolate and the tips of his ears turned pink. "Excuse me?"

"I want Harry to hear us talking about my upcoming initiation into the Death Eaters. If Harry thinks that I've totally forsaken him and the Order, combined with the change of attitude that I'm trying to show, I think he'll really hate me." Ginny paused. "Not to mention he'll think that I'm going to share all of the Order's secrets with You-Know-Who and the Death Eaters and that I'll give them an advantage."

Draco leaned back in his chair. "I think that could work. We can give it a shot anyways. And if it doesn't, hey, we can always get married."

Ginny grimaced then stood up and gave Draco a kiss on the forehead. "Before I do this, I'd really like to know why. It breaks my heart to treat them like this."

Draco leaned back in his chair and was silent for a moment. Ginny warmed her hands by the fire as she waited. Finally, he spoke. "You know, I don't know why I didn't tell you this before. I guess I needed to see that you were going to actually go through with a plan and really try to do what I asked."

Ginny sat and looked at Draco patiently, noticing the way his blonde hair fell across his forehead and covered his eyes in shadows. _Maybe that's why he's such a good liar. He hides his eyes._

"This summer I ran away from home and went into hiding because Father was treating me so horribly. Unfortunately, I was found by another one of the Death Eaters and brought home to very angry parents. My father threatened to beat me to within an inch of my life, and nearly succeeded, when You-Know-Who showed up and stopped him. He said I was needed. That I was going to be his most important asset." He took a breath. "He had a mission for me. You see, You-Know-Who had gotten wind of the fact that you and Potter were, let's say friendly, with each other last year and over the summer. My task is to bring you to You-Know-Who so that he can use you as bait for Potter and then kill the both of you."

Ginny didn't look as shocked as she could have. "Figures. Playing on Harry's rescue complex in order to get him within reach. But that's why you want him to hate me. That way You-Know-Who can't get his hands on Harry because Harry won't come rescue me."

Draco stood up behind Ginny and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Well, I was actually thinking that if You-Know-Who finds out that Harry hates you, he won't even want you at all and then both you and Harry will be spared."

Ginny turned around so that Draco's arms were now encircling her. "You're trying to save me?" she asked quietly, looking up into his eyes. When he nodded back, Ginny leaned forward and closed her eyes until her lips met Draco's and they shared a long, passionate kiss. They broke apart after some time. "Thanks," Ginny whispered.

They sat quietly in front of the fire, enjoying each other's company while each lost in their own thoughts until Ginny finally broke the silence. "What if this plan doesn't work?"

"Then I'll propose to you properly."

"No! I mean, what if You-Know-Who finds out that Harry hates me and still wants to proceed with his plan?"

"Then I'll come rescue you. Never mind Harry Potter. Draco Malfoy is one teenage wizard to be afraid of."

Ginny cracked a smile, knowing that he was only trying to cheer her up.

"It's going to work," said Draco.


	10. Bad Day

Bad Day

* * *

"Well, it's about time for me to go to bed, Ginny," said Draco, standing up from his chair and stretching.

"Wait!" cried Ginny. "I have something to ask you."

Draco sat back down and looked at her expectantly.

"Um, well you know how I am a member of the Order? I was given an assignment at the very beginning of this year and I've been having a lot of trouble figuring out how to complete it." Ginny paused, fighting for the right words. "I know that you don't want to help You-Know-Who, but would you consider helping the Order? I mean, it's just that we no longer have a spy who can infiltrate the Death Eaters and give us information on their plans and the whereabouts of You-Know-Who. We used to have Snape but then he betrayed us and now we try to keep him as far away from us as possible. And I was going to wait and ask you to do it as a favor to me, but I don't want to force you into doing something that you don't want to do. And technically that's the whole reason that I got that detention with you at the beginning of the year in the first place; I wanted to lay the foundations for something more so that you'd be more open to the idea. But like I said, I don't want to force you into anything. But you're such a good poker player so I think you'd be really good at hiding your true intentions from your father and You-Know-Who, and—"

"Ginny! You're rambling."

Ginny gulped. "What do you think?"

"You're using this relationship as a means to an end?" Draco asked.

"No!" Ginny yelped. "I mean, I guess I was at the beginning, but I've always found you so alluring, and now I really care about you so that's why I decided to tell you the truth." She stared at him with eyes that were threatening to tear up. "I don't want to play these games anymore, Draco. I don't want to have to owe you a favor, or you to have to owe me a favor. I'm here because I really like you and I was hoping that maybe you liked me too and that you'd be willing to join the fight against You-Know-Who."

Draco shifted in his seat. "I don't know how I feel about this."

"I know it's dangerous, but we can protect you! You know, charms and stuff."

Draco snorted. "The Dark Lord would detect a protective charm the instant I walked into a room. It's absurd to think that anyone could be protected from him."

"But could you just think about it?" Ginny pleaded. "We really need your help! I really need your help."

Draco looked at her pleading face, and wanted to, but could not bring himself to say yes. "I'm trying to save you from getting into You-Know-Who's hands and you want me to willingly walk into a room, mentally take notes on everything I hear, and report back to the Order so that they can make their plans more wisely?"

"Yes!" cried Ginny. "I know it's a lot to ask of you, but if we could just get the one up on him, just once, and take out some of the Death Eaters, then Harry will have a better chance of defeating him. We need you."

Her eyes were glistening now, and Draco couldn't handle being a disappointment to Ginny, although she had already admitted that the beginning of their relationship had been a farce. But he understood. It had worked in his favor too. But he had a right to be mad, didn't he? "I can't promise you anything, Ginny. But I will sleep on it and let you know how I feel in the morning." He kissed her cheek and walked swiftly out of the room of requirement.

Ginny couldn't help it. She let the tears come. Not only because she felt like a failure to the Order, but because she was becoming a failure to her friends, and she could tell that even Draco was angry with her for using a relationship to get close enough to him to ask for this favor. She felt like she had done the right thing in telling him the truth though. She didn't want to be one of those people who manipulated people into doing whatever it was she wanted them to do. Except in Harry's case. Because in his case it was necessary. She couldn't let You-Know-Who get his hands on Harry.

Ginny awoke the next morning on the same chair in the room of requirement. The fire was still blazing happily and the petit fours had been replaced by breakfast sandwiches. Her face felt puffy from crying herself to sleep and she still felt extremely disappointed in herself. To make everything worse, she saw an unopened letter sitting next to the tray of sandwiches. She had one guess about the sender. Lupin. Sighing, she reached for it.

_Ginny-I didn't hear any more from you last night. We need information and we need it soon. Known Death Eaters have been more riled up than usual lately and we believe that they're going to be making a move in the near future. We need to know their target. Get us that information._

Similarly to the other letter, this one ripped itself to shreds before catching fire. Ginny stared at the ashes, trying to figure out what she was going to do if Draco didn't agree to find and convey the information. Trying not to think about how everyone in the school was now angry with her, she grabbed a sandwich and slipped out of the room of requirement to head for Herbology.

On her way back from Herbology, Ginny was suddenly tripped and sprawled out onto the floor of the entrance hall.

"Boyfriend troubles?" sneered an all-too-familiar voice.

"Not as big as yours are, Pansy," said Ginny, getting to her feet.

"Obviously you don't know that Draco came to my room for consolation last night," gloated Pansy, "If you get my drift."

"Oh shove off you lying bitch!" Ginny pushed her way past Pansy and headed for the library, hoping that there she would get a little peace and quiet, and sincerely hoping that Pansy was lying about her night.

On the way to the library, Ginny was again assaulted, this time by Peeves. "Oh his eyes are a grey as a dark stormy night; his hair is as white as a ferret. I wish he'd be mine, he's incredibly fine: the boy turned Death Eater at Hogwarts."

Ginny turned hot pink, recognizing Peeves' tune from one of her earlier love notes to Harry Potter. "It's very rude to accuse people of being Death Eaters, Peeves," she shouted to the poltergeist hovering above her.

"But it's not an accusation when it's true!" he sang back at her. "Check his wrist!" He zoomed off towards a men's bathroom after dumping a bucket of cold water over Ginny's head.

Ginny was seething when she finally reached the library, cold, wet, and angry about the comments that she was getting not only from the Slytherins, but also from the castle ghosts. She headed straight for her favorite table in the back where she lit a small magical fire in a jar, (a trick she had learned from Hermione), and began performing spells to dry her hair.

Completing that, she opened her Defense against the Dark Arts textbook and began trying to write an essay about the six most widely used curses by Death Eaters and how to counteract them. Of course, the most widely used curse was the Cruciatus Curse, closely followed by Avada Kedavra, both of which had no counter curse, which seemed to Ginny to be completely un-useful.

As Ginny was writing, she couldn't help but think of Peeves' comment about the Dark Mark being on Draco's wrist. Ginny had never consciously looked at his wrist and could neither confirm nor deny this theory. It made sense that Draco would have it. His father was one of the most influential Death Eaters and his mother was just as evil, and it sounded like You-Know-Who was a regular visitor at the Malfoy mansion. Malfoy was seventeen. Of course he'd have the Dark Mark. But for whatever reason, Ginny didn't think that he actually had it. She resolved to find out. Pansy's comment also played on her mind. She had thought that Draco and she were exclusive, but that had never technically been stated. But Draco hated Pansy, didn't he? He would never willingly show up at her door begging for forgiveness and sex. That didn't sound like him. She resolved to find that out too.

While stewing in her thoughts and trying to write about curses, a plan was formulating in her mind. A plan that would simultaneously help the Order and make Harry hate her, while also not forcing Draco to do anything that he didn't want to do. Well, mostly.


	11. Horcruxes

Horcruxes

* * *

Both Draco and Ginny were separately surprised the next day when they saw no trace of Harry, Ron, or Hermione in the Great Hall at breakfast. Ginny turned to Neville, "Where are they?" She gestured at the empty spaces typically occupied by the trio.

"Ron and Harry crept out in the middle of the night, didn't notice that I was awake," replied Neville, shoveling eggs onto his plate.

"Do you know where they went?"

"No. They kept mumbling something about 'horcruxes,' but blimey, Ginny, I don't know what a horcrux is."

"Thanks, Neville," said Ginny, suddenly no longer hungry. She stood up and tried to catch Malfoy's eye, but was instead successful in catching the eyes of both Crabbe and Goyle, who cracked their knuckles menacingly. Ignoring both of them, she marched over to the Slytherin table and whispered in Draco's ear.

"Not now, Weasley," he drawled. "Can't you see I'm busy here?" He gestured to the other Slytherins with whom he was sitting. They all were giving Ginny a dirty look, as if she'd interrupted a meeting. "I'll catch you after your first class." Pansy looked affronted that Draco had even given Ginny a response, and scooted closer to Draco, who, to Ginny's disbelief, did not appear to have minded.

"Uh, Draco. It's kind of important. Regarding our most recent conversations," stated Ginny, crossing her arms and vowing not to leave the Slytherin table until she had Malfoy with her. Dragging him if she must.

"I said not now, Weasley!"

Either he was talking about something really important with the Slytherins, or he was still very mad at her about their conversation the other night, thought Ginny. Ginny was trying to pick her words wisely, so that she would not expose herself or Draco to all of Slytherin. She bent down and stage-whispered into Draco's ear, "I have _information_ on the whereabouts of _Harry Potter_ that might be useful to your _Master_."

The small group of Slytherins sitting with Draco stared at the two of them. Crabbe and Goyle looked interested, though not any less dumb than usual, and Pansy looked aghast. "_She _is working for the Dark Lord?"

"I'll thank you to keep your mouth shut on this one, Pansy. The Dark Lord would be very upset with you if you blow her cover," Draco improvised. "Come, Weasley. Let us find somewhere private to talk." Draco escorted Ginny out of the Great Hall and back to the room of requirement, which remained just as cozy as it had been two nights before. Draco shut the door securely and then exploded. "ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR BLOODY MIND?"

"I needed you to leave the table," said Ginny, coldly, irrationally finding herself angry at Malfoy for being angry with her and simultaneously being grateful to Malfoy for taking her cues in the Great Hall.

"You've gotten us into a really big mess, now. Pansy couldn't keep her mouth shut if a two thousand kilogram rhinoceros was sitting on top of it. You can be sure that You-Know-Who is going to hear about your little act! And then you had better had some information to tell him because no matter how hard I try to prevent him from seeing you, telling him it's unnecessary, or the information is old, he is going towant to hear it from you. I've spent this whole term trying to devise a way for you to be safe from him and you practically go running into his arms!" ranted Draco.

Ginny looked at the fuming Draco. She frowned. "Well somebody has to get into You-Know-Who's good graces if the Order wants to receive any information at all."

Draco stared at her. "You think…you're going to try…oh, could you be any stupider?"

Ginny glared at him. "It's not like you're being much of a help. I'm sorry I used you at the beginning of the year, but I don't need your help anymore. I can do it on my own." Ginny huffed. "Thanks for trying to protect me," she added sarcastically.

"Oh yeah, sure you can do it on your own. The moment You-Know-Who sees through your pretty little lies you'll be dead on the floor," Draco yelled.

"Well you can be the one to do the honors! I'm sure You-Know-Who wouldn't lower himself to actually use his wand on a _Weasley. _He'll leave that job to his loyal Death Eaters," growled Ginny before storming out of the room, leaving Draco behind, shaking with fury, but also surprised at the outburst of anger that he'd elicited from Ginny, and scared for whatever she planned to do next. He had to stop her.

* * *

Ignoring the fact that he was supposed to be heading for Defense Against the Dark Arts, Draco ran out of the room of requirement looking for Ginny, who must have started running as soon as she left the room, for she was nowhere in sight. Draco ran to the nearest staircase and looked up and down, but didn't see Ginny there either. Angry, he banged both fists against the wall, scaring two first years who were late to Transfiguration. This did not succeed in making him feel any better and certainly did not help him find Ginny.

Ignoring the throbbing in his hands that was radiating up through his arms, Draco headed for the owlery, hoping that Ginny wasn't stupid enough to try to send a letter to You-Know-Who, telling him that she wanted to reject her family and divulge every secret of the Order.

He was heading in the wrong direction, for Ginny, fuming, had headed for the library, intent on discovering the meaning of the word 'horcrux.'

* * *

Ginny decided that she didn't want to waste any time browsing the library, for who knew how long she was going to remain on the Hogwarts grounds, and headed straight for Madam Pince. "I need to know where I can find information on horcruxes," Ginny stated, staring the librarian in the eyes.

"I beg your pardon?" squeaked Madam Pince. "That is restricted information and unless you have a signed note by a professor, you will be unable to access any books in which that information might be found."

Pissed off and tired of fighting with everyone that she came across, Ginny struggled to keep her voice calm, "If I can't see the book, then the _Order of the Phoenix_ is going to be very unprepared for their upcoming interaction with You-Know-Who and the Death Eaters. Now if you want the world to be a horrible, terrifying place to live, that's just fine and dandy, but _I _don't, so if you'll please, get me the book, I will leave you alone."

"Well, of course…of course I want to help. Dumbledore would've wanted me to help any student in need," muttered Madam Pince, scurrying away to the restricted section of the library in search of the dangerous book.

She returned several minutes later with a book that looked like something that Hermione would keep on her bedside table for bedtime reading. It was at least fourteen hundred pages long and covered in dust and cobwebs. As Pince handed the book to Ginny, a spider fell off of the binding and scuttled across the floor in search of a dark place to hide. She went back to her place behind the check-out desk without a word, leaving Ginny to find a table in a deep corner of the library where she wouldn't be disturbed.

The title of the book wasn't as horrible as Ginny could've imagined, _Reaching Immortality. _She flipped to the back to find the index and discovered that all of chapter four was about horcruxes. She started reading.

_When one is wishing to reach immortality it is possibly to separate a part of the soul and hide it within a receptacle of the owner's choice. This 'horcrux' as it becomes, is now a storage container for a part of the soul of the owner. By having a horcrux, one is unable to die unless both the horcrux and the owner's body are destroyed. However, when the owner's body is destroyed and only the horcrux remains, the owner will still remain alive but will not have a corporeal form or body. If a horcrux is destroyed but not the owner's body, the owner will continue to live as he does every day but is unknowingly more vulnerable and will be able to die a normal death if the proper blow strikes._

_Additionally, the soul that is contained within the horcux has the ability to take control of an entirely different person if the person happens to become emotionally connected to the horcrux. This-_

"Say, for instance, a diary," drawled a voice behind Ginny.

"What the hell are you doing here, Malfoy? I don't need your help with anything," whispered Ginny harshly. "And that diary was an accident!" The wheels in Ginny's mind started turning. "Oh my God. Draco you are a genius. I could practically kiss you!"

"Who says I'd like that?" asked Malfoy, pulling up a chair to the table where Ginny was hunched over _Reaching Immortality._ "Why are you reading about horcruxes anyways? They're horrible items."

"Well if we hadn't had such a row this morning, you would know the answer to that question," said Ginny, her anger dissipating as Draco talked to her.

"So, why are you looking them up?" Draco repeated.

"You saw how Harry, Hermione, and my brother were missing from the Great Hall this morning?"

Draco nodded.

"Well Neville says that they snuck out in the middle of the night and kept talking about horcruxes. What you just said about the diary makes total sense. You-Know-Who must have split his soul and created horcruxes so that he would become practically immortal." Ginny paused, trying to formulate her thoughts. "I think that Harry, Ron, and Hermione have left Hogwarts to find You-Know-Who's horcruxes because only once they are destroyed will Harry even have a chance to kill him."

Draco nodded. "Makes sense."

"But that's why I was trying to tell you this morning! If they've left campus, we don't have to worry about making Harry hate me so that You-Know-Who can't use me to his advantage to lure Harry to him because Harry won't even know if I go missing."

"Yeah, but now you've gone and made it so that all that doesn't even matter anymore. _All of Slytherin_ thinks that you are gathering information for the Dark Lord about Harry Potter and the Order. You're in a tight spot now."

Ginny pouted. "Well you didn't look like you were about to say 'yes' to anything that I suggested. So like they always say, it you want something done right, do it yourself. And that's precisely what I intend to do."

"I think that's a really dumb idea. You're going to get yourself killed," whispered Draco.

"Well you no longer have to be a part of it!"

"Of course I do. I can't just let you go wandering into a Death Eater meeting all by yourself, can I?"

Ginny's heart fluttered at this promise. "Thanks, Draco. I'm going to make it up to you somehow if we both survive."

Draco shuddered and clutched his wrist. "Well," he said through teeth gritted in pain, "we're going to find out soon enough whether or not we do survive."

Ginny's jaw dropped at the sight of the wriggling Dark Mark on the underside of Draco's wrist, the black of the tattoo contrasting with the pure white of Draco's flawless skin. "Oh, Draco," she breathed.

* * *

**Please review! It's really helpful!**


	12. Preparations

Preparations

* * *

A jet black owl flew through an open window of the library and landed on the table where Draco and Ginny had been reading. Draco was still holding his wrist and trying to ignore the pain emanating from the Dark Mark. "Get the letter," he said to Ginny, "it's from my father."

Ginny reached for the owl, which tried to bite her, but managed to get the letter from around its foot. "Do you want me to read it out loud?" she asked Draco.

"Go ahead," Draco grimaced.

"Draco, our Dark Lord has heard from the Parkinson's that Ginny Weasley, the very person whom you were instructed to bring into the Dark Lord's custody, has information regarding Harry Potter that she will divulge to no one else. Bring her to our home as soon as you can get away from Hogwarts. You will be greeted by the Dark Lord himself." Ginny put the letter down, turning somewhat green as she contemplated the incompleteness of her plan and everything that could possibly go wrong at this event. "Draco, what are we going to do? I can't just waltz in there with an untrue story to tell! They'll kill me dead!"

"That's what I was trying to tell you before!" Draco whispered as both the pained expression on his face and the blackness of the Dark Mark on his wrist subsided.

"So what the hell are we going to do?" Ginny asked, starting to panic.

"Well, my father's letter said that I am to 'bring you to my house as soon as we can get away from Hogwarts.' In other words, we have two days before he sends someone after us. And we definitely do not want it to get to that point because everyone present will sense that something is wrong if we walk in late."

Ginny just stared at him. "I don't think I can do this. I take it back. I'll go into hiding. Who was I to think that I could actually face You-Know-Who, lie, steal information, and get away with it?"

"Ginny! You have no choice. If you hide, they will find you, and then they will torture you to learn everything that you know anyways, and then they will kill you. It's not worth it." Draco paused, glad that they were hidden in a deserted corner of the library, for their voices were definitely no longer at whispers, then spoke. "Now, I have forty-eight hours to prepare you for this meeting, and that is precisely what I plan to do."

Ginny looked down at the big book in front of her.

"No," stated Draco. "Research is the last thing you need to be doing. Knowing what a horcrux is will not help you in the slightest bit at this meeting, and there is nothing else that you can find in a book that will be useful either." He stood up and offered his hand to Ginny. "Come on, we're going to the Room of Requirement."

Ginny stood up, grabbed _Reaching Immortality_, and headed for the Room of Requirement, pausing only to return the book to Madam Pince without a word. She silently followed Draco through the hallways, ignoring the awkwardly hushed whispers of Slytherin students when she and Draco passed. She was too busy imagining the worst-case scenarios for her meeting with the Death Eaters and You-Know-Who, or as she supposed she should be calling him: the Dark Lord. As she walked three times past the blank wall that would become the door to the Room of Requirement, Ginny had a thought: these could be her last three days to live. She decided not to dwell on that rather unpleasant possibility.

Ginny walked into the room and stared at what it had become. It seemed to Ginny to be a dining room of some sort, with a long, elegantly carved table in the middle of the room surrounded by twelve chairs with the same carvings. However, while many dining rooms have several windows and are very well lit, this one seemed dreary and was lit by a single candelabrum and a fireplace at one end, home only to smoldering coals.

Draco snorted, startling Ginny out of her mute observations.

"What?"

"The Room of Requirement has brought us to my home," said Draco. "It seems to think that you might need a bit of role-playing practice."

"You got that right," muttered Ginny. "Where do we start?"

"Okay. What's going to happen is that we are going to apparate into my bedroom at the house so you have at least a minute to compose yourself before meeting You-Know-Who. After that, I will escort you down the stairs into the dining room, the room we're in now, where you will be faced by some Death Eaters and You-Know-Who. The Death Eaters have all proven they're loyal to You-Know-Who by getting the Dark Mark, but since you're new and don't have one, he's probably going to test you in different ways. I wouldn't be surprised if he used the Cruciatus Curse before doing anything."

Ginny blanched.

"Yeah, we're not going to practice that," said Draco. "If he does it, it'll probably be for less than a minute."

"And that's supposed to be reassuring?" Ginny squeaked.

"It's not all that bad…" Draco trailed off. "Okay, I'm not going to lie. It is that bad. But the main thing is not to show any weakness. I know that you won't really have much control over what you do, but try not to scream or cry."

"So I have to endure the most painful torture in the world and act as if it's not affecting me?"

"Yes!" said Draco, before noticing her sarcastic tone. "I'm trying to help you. You could at least act like I'm giving you helpful advice."

"Sorry," Ginny sighed. "Do go on."

"Right. I forgot to mention that one of the first things he is going to do is take your wand. It's a precautionary thing, again since you're not a trusted follower."

Seeing her opportunity, Ginny leapt in. "Draco? Why did you….when did you…did you choose to get the Dark Mark?"

Draco sighed. "I'm not the person now that I used to be, Ginny. When I was younger I was foolish and believed that my father could never be wrong about anything, so of course that meant I was going to follow in his path, treating people the same way, having the same ideas, living a life full of hatred and cruelty. I received the Dark Mark at a younger age than many of You-Know-Who's followers, simply because it was what both my father and You-Know-Who wanted. I was fourteen." He ignored Ginny's sharp intake of breath. "It wasn't until recently that I realized that everything my father had taught me was wrong. As much as it pained me to admit it at the time, the personality that I wanted to have was that of Harry Potter. He was brave and kind to everyone unless he was defending his friends. When I looked at the two choices in front of me: a world with You-Know-Who in total control, or a world where he didn't exist and everyone was treated equally, I knew what the obvious answer was. Unfortunately, it's not like I can just change sides and start openly fighting against You-Know-Who. I've got my father, who tortures me when I put even a toenail out of line, and the Dark Mark, through which You-Know-Who could cause substantial pain if I undeclared myself as a follower."

Ginny moved over to where Draco was standing, staring sullenly into the fire, and not knowing what else to do, pulled him into a close embrace. "I'm so sorry, Draco. I wish I'd known sooner."

"It's okay," he replied, hugging her back. "That's why I couldn't say yes and become a spy for the Order. It's too dangerous, and You-Know-Who has these ways of knowing things."

Ginny pulled back. "Well you better start telling me what they are, because the moment I see him I am going to be lying through my teeth."

"Okay. Let me think. I can practically guarantee that the Dark Lord, because he will expect you to call him either that or 'Master,' will know everything that there is to know about you. He will know every last member of your family, everyone you've even thought about dating, the scores you got on your OWL's, and the fact that you were known up until recently as an active member of the Order of the Phoenix."

Ginny nodded. "I don't think he'll have that much to use against me…"

"Wrong! He will threaten your family and you will have to sit there and take it, pretending not to care because they no longer share the same views as you do. He will definitely threaten Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and anyone else who is your friend, as well as all of the members of the Order. You have to pretend like it doesn't bother you. Even more than that you have to _believe_ that it doesn't bother you or he will know."

"How am I supposed to believe that it doesn't bother me when he starts talking about what curse he'd prefer to use to mangle my brothers before killing them?"

"What the Dark Lord can do, how he knows when people are lying," Draco paused, determining the best way to explain the powers of the Dark Lord to Ginny. He decided to start over. "Essentially, he can read minds. Without even trying. Most people, if they want to get inside your head, they have to use their wand and cast a spell. He can do it without a wand, though I'm not sure if he casts a nonverbal spell or if he's just that powerful. He will be able to sense every thought in the corners of your mind. What you'll have to do is wipe your mind clean, empty it of anything except the fact that you want to _help _the Dark Lord. If he can only see that you want to help him, you should be able to fool him. But one small thought about how painful it would be for you if one of your brothers died, and you're dead meat."

Ginny gulped. "D'you know how to do the spell? I mean, can we practice?"

Draco nodded.

For the next hour, Draco continuously broke into Ginny's mind, at first seeing every thought that crossed Ginny's mind, but as time progressed, seeing stray thoughts only, and then seeing thoughts that she might not have even known that she was thinking.

"We have to quit," Ginny said, breathing heavily. "I have the worst headache known to mankind."

"Oh, I forgot that can happen. Though it'll probably help prepare you for what's to come."

Ginny sat down at one of the ten chairs on the long sides of the table and grimaced. "How did I do?"

"You're doing okay. It's going to be a lot harder when it's actually the Dark Lord breaking into your mind instead of me. Not to mention that with me you get the chance to see me do the spell, while with him you'll have to be constantly aware of the thoughts that are going through your mind because you won't know when he's listening in."

"This is the worst thing ever," said Ginny. "I don't even know what to tell him."

"I've got some ideas about that," said Draco, sitting down next to her. "Don't worry about it for now. What we need to work on is your etiquette."

Ginny raised her eyebrows. "You're worried about how polite I'm going to be to the Dark Lord."

"No," said Draco, "I'm worried that you're going to walk into my dining room and steal his seat."

Ginny blushed. "I assumed he'd sit at the head of the table where everyone can see him."

"Wrong. He sits in either one of the middle seats along the sides of the table. He will sit next to his two most important followers. My father and mother will sit at the heads of the table. You will likely have to sit directly across from him, but you cannot sit down until he tells you to, else you'll make him angry, and trust me you don't want that. I probably won't get to sit, but I'll try to stand as close behind you as I dare."

Ginny flashed him a grateful smile. "I think I'm going to need your support."

"I'll be there for you. It's my fault that you're in this mess in the first place. I was too worried about that danger that I would be put in and I didn't even think that you might try to fulfill your orders on your own. I'm sorry about that, Ginny."

"Its okay, Draco. We can be in it together now." She leaned her head on his shoulder. "And in case anything happens to me, the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix is at Number 12, Grimmauld Place. Someone will be there who you could tell if...if something bad happens."

"I won't let anything bad happen to you."

But she didn't hear him. She'd fallen asleep on his shoulder. As always, the Room of Requirement detected the change in need and shifted from the dank dining room into a bedroom. Draco carried Ginny to one of the two twin beds and tucked her in, giving her a light kiss on the forehead. "Goodnight, Ginny," he whispered.

* * *

**Please continue to read and review!**


	13. Twenty Four Hours

Twenty-Four Hours

* * *

Ginny woke up the next morning with the mixed feelings of misery and dread. She now had just over twenty-four hours to completely prepare for her meeting with You-Know-Who and his most faithful Death Eaters. Not only would they have the home-court advantage and outnumber her by about ten to one, she was also going to knowingly lie to their faces and try to infiltrate their ranks enough that she would be permitted to hear sensitive information, like when their next attack would be, who was the target, how You-Know-Who planned to get his hands on Harry, etc.

She got out of the cozy bed, not really remembering how she ended up getting into the bed, and was pleased to find that there was a tray of breakfast pastries on her bedside table. Though she wasn't particularly hungry, she decided to give a chocolate croissant a try. After her first bite of the croissant, (it was delicious) Ginny was startled to hear light snores coming from across the room. She walked over to investigate and found a sleeping Draco Malfoy, breathing in through a wide open mouth and breathing out through his nose, which Ginny supposed must have been congested in order to cause the snores. She giggled.

Draco opened one eye, realized how closely Ginny was standing to him, and sat straight up in bed.

"Morning," said Ginny through a mouthful of pastry.

"Morning," replied Draco, rubbing his eyes. "Where did you get the—"

Ginny pointed at a tray that was resting on his bedside table.

"Thanks." Draco picked up a currant scone. "How did you sleep?"

"Okay," said Ginny, nerves setting in much more intensely now that her stomach was full. "I'm not feeling so good now though." In fact, she looked as if she might vomit.

"You're just nervous," said Draco, finishing his scone and reaching for a second. "Oh! That reminds me. You can't be too nervous. A little nervous is okay, like how you might feel before a quidditch game. That's to be expected. After all, this is your first time meeting the Dark Lord in this form. But super nervous, like wavering voice and shaky hands, that's definitely not allowed. If you're too nervous it'll be apparent that you're lying."

Ginny nodded and noticed that the room was changing before their eyes. The two beds were replaced by two long couches arranged around a fireplace, (their trays of food remained however, and were placed on a narrow coffee table). Behind the couches was a large open area that looked equipped for a duel. "Guess it's trying to give us a little bit of anything we might need, huh?" Ginny laughed hollowly.

"I don't know what to practice with you today, Ginny. There isn't really anything else essential that I can think of," said Draco, taking a seat on one of the leather couches.

Ginny sat down next to him. "Let me see if I've got it all. First, don't steal the Dark Lord's seat. Wait for him to tell me that I am allowed to sit. Second, don't think about anything except the fact that I want to help the Dark Lord, else he will know that I'm lying and kill me. Third, be ready to be tortured and not get upset about it, because that is simply the Dark Lord's way of greeting outsiders. Fourth, accept the fact that the Dark Lord is going to threaten everybody whom I love and believe that I would not care if he killed each and every one of them." Ginny paused. "Is that it?"

"I think so, yeah. Remember that you have to be conscious at every moment of the thoughts that are going through your head. The problem is that we haven't even started discussing what you're actually going to say to him."

Ginny slouched down and folded her legs into her chest. "Why did I think I could do this?" she moaned.

"Because you're strong, and you're brave, and you believe in your cause!" said Draco. "The Order is going to benefit very much from the information that you're going to collect, and I will help you as much as I can. I've changed my mind from earlier, Ginny. If you are brave enough to walk into my house and pretend to want to be a Death Eater while really learning everything you can about the enemy, then I am too. I'm not going to be a coward anymore."

Ginny leapt off the couch and into an unsuspecting Draco's arms. "You don't know how happy I am to hear that, Draco!"

Draco hugged Ginny tight, taking in the smoothness of her hair against his cheek and the curves of her body pressed against his. "If anything goes wrong, I won't let them hurt you," he whispered into her ear.

Ginny felt as if a great weight had been lifted off of her chest. Now at least one of them knew the drill firsthand and was prepared for the upcoming meeting. "Draco?" She pulled out of his arms and sat down on the couch next to him. "If you're so willing to help the Order out now, do you have any information that we could send them before we go meet with the Dark Lord?"

Draco thought for a moment. "I don't think I have anything helpful. All of my information is really outdated, and like I told you earlier, I tried not to be home much this summer so I missed a lot of the meetings. Except the one where the Dark Lord asked me the favor."

"Oh," Ginny's voice fell. "Well, we should hopefully have something in a day or so, if everything goes as planned."

Neither of them wanted to think about what might happen if things didn't go as planned.

"Maybe we should write to the Order and tell them about what we're going to do," suggested Draco.

"No!" Ginny shrieked. "I mean, my mother will kill me when she finds out. I think we should delay it as long as possible." She crossed her arms.

"But Ginny…if something does go wrong, someone needs to know where we are. Can we at least tell whoever assigned you your task? We don't have to announce it to your whole family, but we should tell at least one person."

Ginny looked at him and realized his logic. _If _something happened to them and the Order didn't know about it, they would simply go on a list of missing persons and no one would ever find them. Or, even worse, their bodies would be used to taunt the Order and to entice brash actions. Ginny definitely didn't want that to happen. Not that anything bad was going to happen. But _if_ it did, she definitely wouldn't want to leave her body in the hands of the Death Eaters. "I suppose it would be a good idea to contact Lupin," she conceded.

"Good," said Draco. "What's your preferred method of contact with him?"

"Well, I would like to try to vary it, because owls are so noticeable. That's what we've been using for the most part though. I don't really trust the floo network because there are so many Death Eaters working at the ministry who can monitor it, so I don't really have any other ways of communication."

"Okay then. Owl it is. I don't know any other way to get him a message quickly and moderately safely either." He fetched a small piece of scroll and a quill from his bookbag and set them on the coffee table for Ginny, who sat down on the floor and started writing.

_Lupin—_

_Draco has agreed to gather information for the Order. Unfortunately, because of other circumstances, I will be soon joining him at Malfoy Manor in order to talk to You-Know-Who and discover other information for myself. We will be out of contact for as long as we are at the manor, but when we return to Hogwarts, we will pass on any information that we learn. I think it would be unwise for anyone in the Order to try to contact me within the next week, as it could possibly blow my cover._

_Ginny_

Draco reached for the letter when he saw that Ginny was finished writing it. He nodded. "Good idea to tell them not to contact you. Do you think that Lupin is going to show this to the whole Order?"

Ginny shrugged. "Dunno. I guess he'll have to tell them something since they're not allowed to get in touch with me for a week." She was starting to feel nervous again. "Draco, I don't know if I can do this. It's like walking into a snake pit, and knowing that it's a snake pit and that it's full of poisonous snakes, and choosing not to take any defensive measures."

Draco raised his eyebrows at the comparison. "Ginny," he said, sitting down on the floor next to her and looking into her eyes, "you are going to do fantastic. As long as you remember everything we've rehearsed, nothing is going to go wrong."

"Boy do I hope you're right," Ginny replied. "Let's go mail this owl and get some lunch. I'm starving!"

They walked arm and arm out of the Room of Requirement and headed for the owlery. As classes were in session, not a soul walked the hallway and they made it to the owlery without being interrupted. Ginny picked out a small brown owl (whose nametag said he was called Brutus) for the job and sent him on his way. "Let's head for the kitchens now?" she asked.

"Gladly," Draco responded as his stomach rumbled.

Unfortunately, they didn't make it to the kitchen unscathed. They were stopped by none other than Professor McGonagall who ushered the pair into her office and sternly asked them why they hadn't been in their classes for the previous two days.

Ginny watched as Draco turned bright red. "Well, you see Professor, I don't usually just skip classes out of the blue, but this week I've been feeling a little out of it and—"

"We're doing something for the Order, Professor. It's of utmost importance," interrupted Ginny.

"Oh, I see," said McGonagall. "Well, take as long as you need to perform your task, but I fully expect both of you to catch up on your coursework as soon as you're done. I will keep you here during winter break if I have to!"

"Yes ma'am," they both replied and hurried out of the office, heading for the kitchens.

* * *

The rest of the day passed slowly for Ginny. She was increasingly nervous and anxious, asking Draco if it would be better for them to get to Malfoy Manor a night early, to which he replied 'no' every time. Eventually she gave up pestering him and stared moodily at the fire, lost deep in her thoughts. _What am I going to say? What if everything goes wrong? I don't think I can look You-Know-Who in the eye and lie to him. What if I die? What if Draco dies?_ The last thought was one that sort of surprised her. Any other year and she practically would've leapt for joy at the death of Draco Malfoy, but now that was definitely not the case. She had grown pretty fond of him. That was obvious from their short attempt at dating previously in the year. But even since then, her feelings had gotten stronger.

Her musings were interrupted by the pecking of an owl at a window. She let it in and removed the letter from around its ankle.

_Ginny-_

_I don't know what circumstances have led you to believe that you must also attempt to gain information from the Death Eaters, but this is very foolish of you. You are very young and inexperienced, and this is a very dangerous mission. Unfortunately, I know of the stubbornness that runs through your veins and I will not try to dissuade you from the course that you have chosen to take. I say only this: be careful and tread lightly. I will be awaiting your word by owl within a week._

_Lupin_

Ginny snorted, not liking the fact that Lupin had essentially called her childish. "We've got the go ahead from the Order," she called to Draco.

"Not like anything would've stopped you from proceeding anyways," was Draco's reply.

"No," she said, feeling all the more determined to succeed.

Ginny showered and went to sleep early, not having anything better to do, and hoped that a good night's sleep would calm her nerves. Draco stayed awake on one of the couches, reading about the Belgian quidditch team and seeming completely unbothered about what they planned to do the next day. Of course, Draco always had had the ability to hide his true feelings, for behind his perfectly composed facial expression, he was feeling all the same nervousness that Ginny was, but for the most part he wasn't worried about himself, but worried about her. He had every faith in Ginny's ability to follow his instructions to a T, but if anything unexpected were to happen, everything could be lost. _We'll find out tomorrow_, Draco thought before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Morning came early for Ginny, who awoke to the fluttery dance of the butterflies in her stomach. She felt nauseous. She didn't dare put any food into her mouth out of the fear that she might vomit, and paced the room until Draco woke up twenty minutes later.

He stared at her, amused at her antics. "Is that helping?"

"Yes," she huffed.

"Are you ready?"

"Not at all."

"Let's take a walk." Draco escorted Ginny out of the castle and beyond the Hogwarts grounds into Hogsmeade. He held out his arm to her. "Grab on," he instructed.

With a little pop, they disappeared.

* * *

**Thanks to those who reviewed. Please, may I have s'more?**


	14. Meeting the Dark Lord

Meeting the Dark Lord

* * *

Just as quickly as they had disappeared, they reappeared within Draco's bedroom at Malfoy Manor. Ginny looked around at the stark room. It contained a large bed with white silk sheets and an absurd number of pillows, a small wardrobe, and a writing desk. It was all exceptionally neat, as she would expect of Draco Malfoy, except for a pile of books haphazardly stacked next to the left side of the bed. They were all spell books of sorts, charms and enchantments, potions and curses.

"Practice makes perfect?" she asked, nodding to the books while still clutching Draco's arm.

"Indeed," he replied.

They both jumped when they heard a sharp knock on the door. A house elf, drearily dressed in a ratty old pillow case turning grey from age, walked into the room. He bowed deeply, his nose touching the ground before he dared to look up at Draco. "Sir, you are expected in the dining room downstairs."

Draco nodded curtly. "Thank you, Tibben."

The elf left the room, shutting the door behind him silently.

Ginny stared at the closed wooden door. "You really meant it when you said we'd apparate in and then head straight for the meeting, didn't you?" Ginny said, trying to ignore the butterflies that seemed to be setting up a permanent residence in her stomach.

"I did," Draco nodded solemnly.

"Do I look okay? Am I presentable?" Ginny asked, nervously threading her fingers through her hair to sort out any tangles. She straightened her robes and made sure her wand was tucked into her pocket, though she knew it was pointless because the Dark Lord would have it soon enough. "Do you think I need to wash my face?"

"Ginny, you are quite presentable," said Draco, now running his hands nervously through his hair and quite determinedly not thinking about the lies that Ginny was about to tell.

"Okay. I think I'm ready," Ginny said, clasping her hands together to keep from fidgeting. "Are you?"

"Not quite." He moved closer to Ginny and looked down into her deep brown eyes. She stared back up at him, breathing unevenly out of nervousness. He leaned down slightly, and brought his lips to Ginny's, whose lips, after a moments delay, parted and returned the kiss. It was sweet, it was sensual, and it was over too soon. "I'm ready now," breathed Draco, offering Ginny his arm once more. She flushed and took it.

Lucius Malfoy, looking as slimy as Ginny remembered him, was waiting for them at the bottom of the staircase. "We were beginning to get impatient," he hissed.

"I'm sorry, father," Draco politely replied. "We were caught up at school. We would have arrived a day earlier if it was at all possible."

The three of them continued to walk through the Malfoy Manor. Ginny wondered where this great dining hall was, for they had already passed through an entrance hall, a parlor, and a library, and they didn't seem to be stopping anytime soon. Lucius continued to ignore Ginny as he led the pair through a long, dimly lit hallway and into the dining room.

The room was silent, but filled with people. Ginny saw that the Dark Lord was sitting right where Draco had said he would be, and the seat across from him was empty. In the seat to his left was sitting a woman who Ginny recognized as Bellatrix Lestrange, and to his right was a man she didn't recognize. Actually, looking around, she didn't recognize many of the Death Eaters at all. However, the woman sitting at the head of the table could only be Narcissa Malfoy; Draco looked exactly like her. The seat at the other head was empty, waiting for Lucius to fill it once more.

"Ah looked," hissed the Dark Lord, "our esteemed guest has arrived."

Everyone looked towards Ginny and Draco. Bellatrix hissed and licked her lips. The man to the Dark Lord's right cracked his knuckles menacingly. And the Dark Lord stared at her. Ginny couldn't tell whether or not he was already attempting to read her mind, but following Draco's orders, she kept her mind blank and simply thought about the information that she would disclose later.

"Ginny Weasley," he said quietly. His voice was low and snake-like. It seemed slithery and untrustworthy to Ginny. "What a pleasure it is to meet you again."

"It is good to see you again too, sir," said Ginny meekly.

"Sir?" he laughed. "I am no sir. I am the Dark Lord. I am Lord Voldemort. I am the Master. But do not call me sir."

"Yes, my lord. I am sorry, my lord," Ginny complied.

"Or, if we were to revisit the past," he hissed, "you could call me Tom."

The other Death Eaters looked confused, but Ginny burned with embarrassment.

"I could do that, my lord, but we are no longer in the past, and I have no desire to revisit it," Ginny said cheekily. Draco placed a warning hand on her back.

"Feisty, isn't she?" Voldemort spoke to the Death Eaters now. "When she was eleven we met for the first time, isn't that right Ginny?" He didn't bother to see whether or not she had nodded. "Seems she found my old diary from when I was a schoolboy. Talked to me for hours every day. 'I'm so glad I can talk to you, Tom.' 'You are my best friend, Tom.' 'I think I might be in love with you, Tom.'" The Dark Lord smirked and brought his eyes to her face once more. "What do you think of me now, Ginny? Do I live up to your expectations?"

"I have no expectations of you, my lord," Ginny replied, looking him in the eyes.

"Is that so?" The Dark Lord paused and reached for his wand. Ginny knew what was coming now. She was too sassy, her mother always said, it would be her downfall one day. "Crucio!"

Ginny fell to the floor, writhing in the most intense pain that she'd ever felt. Her whole body felt like it was simultaneously on fire and being dipped into a frozen pond. She tried with every fiber of her being to ignore the pain, but it was too much, she cried out, "Draco!"

The Dark Lord stopped and stared at Draco. Every other Death Eater in the room followed suit. Draco stared at Ginny, who was out of breath and trying to get to her feet, but not crying. He reached out his hands and pulled her into a standing position, putting his arms protectively around her chest.

"So, old Tom Riddle isn't good enough for Ginny Weasley anymore?" mocked Voldemort.

"Tom Riddle was never good enough for me, my lord," said Ginny, becoming steadier on her feet with every passing second.

"She's a blood traitor! A filthy muggle lover!" shouted a voice. Bellatrix Lestrange.

"Calm down, Bellatrix. We will know soon enough if young Ginny has true intentions. And if she doesn't, you will be the first to play with her," said the Dark Lord. He was still eyeing Draco. "So this is how you intended to bring her to me, before she got ideas of her own? Steal her away from Harry Potter?" The Death Eaters hissed at the name of the Chosen One. "Make her fall in love with you, all the while Harry would be getting angrier and angrier, so the moment she disappeared, he would come looking for her."

Draco nodded. "Yes, my lord. But she is here now willingly, my lord. She has information."

"So I've heard." He pointed to the seat immediately across from his own and motioned at Ginny. "Sit!"

Hesitantly, Ginny walked over to the chair and sat down. Draco made to follow her but was held back by Lucius, who had remained standing. Lucius guided Draco to the head of the table, where he sat and quietly instructed Draco to remain standing beside him.

"Your wand."

Ginny laid her wand on the table.

Voldemort's long, slender fingers reached over and picked up Ginny's wand. She couldn't help but feel slightly repulsed that he was touching it, but managed to keep a straight face and tried to contain her thoughts. He tucked her wand into his robe pocket.

"So this information you have for me," started the Dark Lord, "is it worth my time?"

"I believe so, my lord," replied Ginny.

"Go on then, you don't want to keep your master waiting any more than you already have."

Ginny thought that statement was a bit unfair, but didn't really expect anything better. She took a deep breath. "I have information regarding the whereabouts of one Harry Potter, for he no longer is residing on the Hogwarts campus, but has left school, and is making for the south of France."

"And why is he going to France?" asked the Dark Lord.

"Because, my lord, Helga Hufflepuff retired to the south of France after leaving Hogwarts and Harry believes that her descendents will still be living there. It is his goal to amass an army of the descendants of three of the founders of Hogwarts: Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Godric Gryffindor. Though you are the last remaining descendant of Salazar Slytherin, I don't believe that Harry Potter thinks he can convert you to his cause, and is settling for the other three."

Voldemort looked pensive, as much as one could with red eyes and slit nostrils. "You are telling me that Harry Potter is attempting to create an army out of the descendants of three dead Hogwarts founders?"

Draco winced. This was not going as well as he hoped. It sounded ridiculous. He realized that he was holding his breath.

"Yes, my lord," said Ginny, her voice strong. "He believes that as descendants of such great witches and wizards, their magic will be stronger than his against the heir of Slytherin."

"Is there other information that you are not disclosing to me, Ginny Weasley?"

Obviously, the Dark Lord had made it into her mind and could see all the thoughts that Ginny had floating around in her head. She wanted to mentally poke him in the eye, but could understand that it might cause problems if she did do so.

"Yes my lord," replied Ginny. "Harry Potter is not travelling alone. Accompanying him are my brother, Ron Weasley, and another Gryffindor seventh year, Hermione Granger."

Bellatrix's eyes widened as she recognized the name Hermione Granger as one of the students who had been at the ministry back when the Death Eaters were trying to get their hands on the prophecy. "Ooh we'll find them, my lord," she giggled excitedly. "And when we do, I call the female!"

Not removing his eyes from Ginny, Voldemort answered her. "I do admire your desire to please, Bellatrix."

Bellatrix looked smug.

"Ginny Weasley," started the Dark Lord, "you have come here on your own because you are unhappy with the life that you led alongside Harry Potter and you have realized that your loyalties lie with me?" It seemed like he was asking a question, but really he was interpreting the thoughts that Ginny was allowing to pass through her head.

"Yes, my lord. I do not want to live in a world where Harry Potter is in charge and all his ideas become reality. Someone needs to maintain order, my lord."

Ginny braced herself for what she was about to do. "I was rather hoping, my lord, that you would be gracious enough to give me the Dark Mark." Bellatrix looked affronted. Voldemort looked intrigued. Draco looked like he was about to be sick. Ginny continued. "I would like to prove my dedication to your cause, my lord, by letting you mark me as your own and becoming one of your Death Eaters."

"You can't let her!" Bellatrix shrieked. "She comes from a family of muggle lovers and…and blood traitors!"

"They said that one in every family goes bad," Ginny said coldly. "I believe it was Sirius Black in your case, Bellatrix."

Bellatrix didn't have a comeback and glared at Ginny, mentally stabbing her in the chest.

"Now, now Bellatrix, do be calm," the Dark Lord hissed. "Ginny will not be up to your level at any point in the near future." He looked back to Ginny. "Oh, how Arthur Weasley will love to hear that his youngest child and precious daughter asked to get the Dark Mark," he sounded excited. "But can you handle the pain? It's quite worse than this…"

Before Ginny could bat an eye Voldemort had cast the Cruciatus Curse on her again. Ginny bit her lip in an attempt not to shout out, which resulted in more pain and a trickle of blood to flow down her chin. Her body writhed and squirmed for minutes on end, until Draco spoke up.

"Stop it!" he cried.

Surprised, the Dark Lord stopped. "It's obvious she's telling the truth and willing to do anything to join your ranks as a Death Eater. There's no use in torturing her more," yelled Draco. "You'll incapacitate her and keep her from being able to do her job!"

Voldemort looked furious.

"My lord," Draco hastily added.

"Very well," sneered Voldemort. "If you're so eager to have her at your side as your lady Death Eater, I see no reason not to comply." He reached across the table and grabbed Ginny's arm, yanking her out of her seat. He pressed his index and middle fingers to the pale, freckled flesh on the inside of her wrist.

Ginny couldn't help it. She whimpered. Having Voldemort touch her was bad enough, but flowing through his fingers was pure evil, such dark magic that Ginny couldn't help but whimper in pain. Pain and sadness at knowing that now, no matter what she told her family, they might not ever accept her again.

The Dark Lord removed his fingers from her wrist and left behind was a dark tattoo of a skull and a snake. He stood up and dragged Ginny with him, thrusting her at Draco. "Take care of this mess," he said angrily. "Lucius, Bellatrix, come with me. We're going to France."

Ginny hardly noticed as the three people she hated most in the room apparated out of it and the remainder of the Death Eaters left on their separate ways. She collapsed into Draco's strong arms and let the tears flow.

Draco carefully picked up her lean body and carried her up the stairs to his bedroom, where they could safely talk and he could begin to charm away some of Ginny's bruises.

* * *

**Thank you to those who reviewed, but please, please, it'd be helpful if I could have more!**


	15. Aftermath

Aftermath

* * *

Ginny was having a hard time controlling herself. It was hard enough to maintain the façade of ambivalence when she was talking to the Dark Lord, but now it was almost impossible. She'd been sitting in Draco's lap, on his bed, for about twenty minutes and she was not anywhere near to running out of tears. Everything hurt. Her body was sore from the convulsions and lingering pain caused by the Cruciatus Curse, her mind hurt from trying to keep it blank for such a long time, and her wrist, which was now home to a small concentrated amount of dark magic, hurt the worst of all.

Draco didn't say anything, not wanting to talk until she was ready, but held her closely and ran his fingers through Ginny's hair, which he hoped would help calm her down. Over time her breathing become less erratic and his shoulder didn't feel quite as wet as it has been at the height of her crying.

"I'm sorry, Draco," Ginny murmured into his neck.

"You don't have anything to be sorry about, Ginny. You were fantastic." He continued to pat her hair.

"But I am sorry!" she wailed, moving off of Draco's lap and reaching for a handkerchief that she saw lying on his bedside table. "I'm sorry that Harry left Hogwarts and ruined all of your plans and I'm sorry that I told you and the Slytherins that I had information for You-Know-Who, and I'm sorry that you had to bring me here and put both of us in danger!" She blew her nose quite loudly and wiped away some of her tears.

"Ginny. Oh Ginny. You don't need to be sorry for any of that. Without that unfortunate course of events, I wouldn't be sitting here with you right now, and I wouldn't trade that for the world."

She looked up at him with shiny eyes that were threatening to spill over. "You're a sweetheart, Draco." She shifted positions and hissed in pain.

"Let me get you something for that," Draco said. He stood up and rummaged around in one of his desk drawers before returning with a small plastic container labeled _Barney's Bruise Ointment. _"It won't help with everything that hurts, but it'll at least take some of the edge off."

Draco helped Ginny take off her robe, so she was left in a pair of ratty old jeans and a Chudley Cannons tee-shirt that used to be Ron's. He opened up the jar, which Ginny noticed was definitely well used, and began to massage the ointment onto Ginny's arms and hands. "Where else do you need some?" he asked.

In reply, Ginny took off her tee-shirt and motioned to her back. Draco complied. He handed her the jar. "Do you want to get the rest yourself? There's a bathroom right over there," he pointed, "and I'll set out some clothes you can change into."

He helped Ginny stand up and walked her to the bathroom, where she applied the salve to her chest and legs, even her feet. Draco was right. She was definitely still sore, but the medication in the ointment was doing a good job of dulling the pain to a more tolerable level. Draco knocked on the door and, not looking at her, handed her a small pile of clothes. "They're the smallest ones I have," he said apologetically. "I hope they fit."

Two minutes later, Ginny emerged from Draco's bathroom wearing a pair of slightly-too-long flannel pajama pants patterned with hippogriffs, and, though he had given her a plain white tee-shirt, she had put back on the Chudley Cannons shirt. "It's a memento of home," she said. She walked up to Draco who was waiting stoically on the bed and held out her wrist to him, showing him the Dark Mark.

Draco looked away, not wanting to see the ugly tattoo marring the beautiful, pale skin of Ginny Weasley.

"Is there anything you can do to help the pain of this?" she asked, noticing that he wouldn't look at her.

"I wish I could tell you that the answer is 'yes,'" he replied, walking to the closet to find a long-sleeved sweater for Ginny to wear, "but unfortunately there isn't anything I can suggest. It should wear off in a day or two." He tossed her a grey cashmere sweater. He looked her in the eyes. "Why did you ask for it?"

Ginny was surprised by the hardness of his gaze. She responded levelly, trying to keep her voice steady. "I saw an opportunity and I decided to make the best of it. I wouldn't be able to collect information for the Order if I didn't have some sort of clearance and rank."

"Well obviously you've passed his test," Draco said coldly. "Congratulations, you're a true Death Eater now. Maybe you can become best friends with Bellatrix and play 'which mudblood do we kill next' over dinner."

Several tears rolled down Ginny's face. "Why are you being so mean?"

"Because you don't think! This is the second time you've gone and let your mouth get yourself into some bad situation without thinking about the consequences. What is everyone at Hogwarts going to think when they notice you have the Dark Mark? Not only will they believe that you've turned on your former self, your family, and your friends, but they will think that you are a Death Eater, a servant who comes when she's called and does whatever the Dark Lord tells her to. And don't you even think about going home, where your whole family will kill you if they hear about this, and trust me, they will. You heard the Dark Lord say that he wanted to see the look on your father's face when he heard that you'd asked for the Dark Mark. He makes good on his threats, Ginny." Draco paused, took a deep breath, and continued, ignoring the tears that were now flowing freely from Ginny's eyes. "Not only are you going to have trouble at school, but good luck with getting actual Death Eaters to trust you. Inherently we are not particularly trusting of newcomers. Simply because the Dark Lord believed the story you told him tonight doesn't mean that he's going to believe you every time you weave him a story. He's killed his own before and I don't want you to become one of them!"

Only after saying everything that he wanted to say did Draco notice Ginny's bright red tear streaked face.

"I do know that it's going to be hard," Ginny spat. "I'd thought that you'd promised to help me. I guess I was wrong." Not knowing where else to storm off to, Ginny stomped into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her, not realizing that the door had no lock.

Draco could hear her crying on the other side of the door. Though at school he had a reputation for being good with girls, he didn't consider himself all that good with angry or upset girls, and found himself at a loss for what to do. He sat down with his back against the door. "Ginny—," he started.

He heard her blow her nose.

"Ginny, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said all those things. I just…I don't want to see you get hurt. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something happened to you."

He heard her sniff. Suddenly the door opened and Draco found himself falling backwards onto the tiled floor of the bathroom. Ginny couldn't help but crack a slight smile.

"You need to stop yelling at me when I do something that you think is wrong," she said. "Because there's always going to be some way that we can use a situation to our advantage." She stepped over his body and walked to the bed, where she curled up in the fetal position.

Draco stood up and rubbed the back of his head. "You're right, Ginny. I'm sorry for yelling at you. You may do things without thinking them through, but there does always seem to be a bright side to your rash decisions."

"I'm just trying to help Harry and the Order," Ginny said.

"I know," replied Draco. "And you don't have to do it all by yourself. I'm going to be there for you every step of the way."

Ginny reached her hand out for him.

Draco climbed onto the bed and lied down behind her, letting the curve of her back nestle perfectly into the curve of his chest. He put one arm under his head and the other arm over her body. He placed his hand on top of hers, lacing his fingers in between her smaller ones.

"Thank you, Draco," she whispered.

"I may initially be flighty," he replied, "but I always come around in the end." He squeezed her hand.

Ginny squeezed back. "I really like you," she murmured into the sheets before shutting her eyes and drifting off to sleep.

* * *

**Thank you to those who've reviewed! But I'm a poor, aspiring young writer, and I'd love more :)**


	16. Orders

Orders

* * *

Ginny and Draco awoke to the sound of yelling.

"Hippogriff's teeth! I don't care if Draco thinks he wants to marry her! I'll not have it. Not in this household!"

"But Lucius, she's obviously the apple that has fallen a little too far from the Weasley tree. You mustn't let your hatred of Arthur Weasley stand in the way of the Dark Lord's wishes."

"You don't know a _single thing_ about the Dark Lord's wishes, Narcissa! That girl just sent us on a fourteen hour wild goose chase. Did you know that Hufflepuff doesn't even have any living descendants? I don't know what she thinks she's playing at, but she'll be in for a surprise—."

The voices trailed off as Narcissa and Lucius took their argument out of the entrance hall and further into the house.

Ginny stared at Draco with wide eyes. "What am I going to say?"

"To my father or the Dark Lord?" Draco asked dryly, sitting up in bed. "It doesn't sound like either of them is too pleased with you."

"I wasn't planning on talking to your father if I can avoid it," said Ginny, "though I guess I could just give him a bright and cheery 'good morning.'"

"Hah. That'll perk him right up." Draco yawned and stretched. "And to the Dark Lord?"

"We could send him to Romania?"

"For what? Dragons?"

"No, you dolt! To find the Romanian ancestors of Ravenclaw!"

"Well, with any luck you won't have to talk to him today and we can be getting on back to school, where we can contact the Order."

"But we haven't learned anything!"

"Sure we have. We've learned that the Dark Lord is at least partially inclined to believe you when you pass him false information. You saw him go tearing off to France last night. We just need a few more false leads, maybe get some Order members in place, and there could be an ambush."

"I dunno if the Order is that proactive, Draco."

"You need only to suggest it to find out," he replied.

"Of course, you're right." Ginny stretched and flinched. Her muscles were still sore from the curses of the night before. "Would you mind rubbing some more of that ointment into my back?" she asked Draco.

Nonverbally answering her question, he motioned for her to lie down and reached for the jar of ointment. Shyly, Ginny lay face down on the bed and lifted up her shirt, exposing her back.

Draco's strong hands set about massaging more of the medication into Ginny's skin, with just the right amount of pressure. "How's that feel?"

"So much better," she purred. "I'm starving!"

Draco capped the jar and stood up off the bed. He reached into his closet for a clean pair of robes. "We might as well head down to breakfast now. We'll have to face the music sooner or later."

Ginny followed his lead and changed back into the same robes that she was wearing on the previous day. They felt and smelled as if they had been cleaned at some point in the night. "Draco?" She looked up at him. "Thank you for taking care of me. I'm not sure how well I'd be faring without you."

"Hey, that's what I'm here for, right?" He reached down and squeezed her hand. "Time to meet the parents," he muttered.

Hand in hand they headed down the marble stairs and through the maze of downstairs rooms into the dining hall. To Ginny, it looked much more welcoming than it had the night before. There was a giant fire roaring in the fireplace, the curtains were open and sunlight was streaming into the room, and there were mounds of food on the table. Not to mention that the only Death Eaters present were Narcissa, Lucius, Draco, and herself.

"Good morning, Mr. Malfoy, Mrs. Malfoy," Ginny said brightly, smiling at the already eating pair.

Narcissa nodded back at her, while Lucius ignored her.

Deciding to ignore him right back, Ginny chose a seat along the table and helped herself to a cup of morning tea and a plain scone with clotted cream. Draco drank only black coffee and ate an orange.

"How was France, father?" Draco asked, preferring to hear as much information as possible before having to face the Dark Lord again.

"A silly waste of time!" He glared at Ginny. "Hufflepuff has no living descendants and there certainly isn't anyone who Harry Potter," he spat the name, "could recruit to fight against the Dark Lord."

"Perhaps they died recently?" Ginny asked.

"If by recently you mean twenty-two years ago," sneered Lucius. "What's your game, Weasley?"

Ginny chose not to rise to the bait. "I only relayed the information I was given."

"I bet I could get a bit more information out of you!" cried Lucius, standing up and raising his wand.

"Not now, Lucius," said Narcissa softly.

Lucius was fuming, but returned his wand to its hiding place in his walking stick and sat back down, glaring at all three of the people sitting at the table with him.

Draco spoke up. "Father, Ginny and I will be returning to Hogwarts after breakfast."

"Oh no, you won't!" Lucius slammed his fork and knife down on the table, startling Ginny. "The Dark Lord has plans for you. You won't be returning to school until after he's through."

"Yes, sir," Draco replied demurely.

The remainder of breakfast passed in a tense silence, only broken when Ginny sneezed three times. Draco and Ginny stood up to leave.

"Sit down!" barked Lucius. "You will be hosts to the Dark Lord momentarily."

Lucius and Narcissa left the room, shutting the great double doors behind them, leaving Draco and Ginny sitting in silence, waiting for Voldemort to materialize, both hoping for the best, but expecting the worst. Under the table, Draco's foot caressed Ginny's leg in an attempt to keep her calm. It did no such thing, and Draco could have sworn that he heard a stifled growl emerge from Ginny's throat. He winked at her.

Unfortunately, before events could further progress, all of the curtains in the room snapped shut, the fire dimmed, and a black figure apparated into a seat at the dining room table.

Draco mumbled a quiet "good morning, my lord," and kicked Ginny in the hopes that she would follow his lead.

Voldemort sat up straight, his eyes set first on Draco and then on Ginny as he discovered what each of them were thinking about. In Draco's attempt to keep his mind blank, he thought about the first thing that came to mind, Ginny's growl from just seconds before. Ginny thought about nothing and consciously continued to clear her mind of any stray thought.

Voldemort sneered at the pair of them. "France didn't turn out quite the way I'd hoped, Ginny Weasley. We found neither Harry Potter and his friends nor the heirs of Hufflepuff."

"I am sorry, my lord," Ginny replied. "I've only given you the information that has come to me in passing. I presumed it to be accurate, my lord."

"I had thought," the Dark Lord began, relaxing in his chair and clasping his hands in front of him, "that the fact that Hufflepuff had no heir would have been apparent to all Hogwarts students, as all previous heirs have attended Hogwarts."

"It did not occur to me, my lord. Nor, obviously, has it occurred to Harry Potter."

"I feel as if you are concealing the truth from me, Ginny Weasley. That is not a very wise idea. We are now connected, you know," his eyes flicked down to her wrist, "and I can cause much pain through that connection if I am displeased."

Ginny caught Draco's eye and he nodded imperceptibly.

"My lord, I do have other information," she began. "I did not wish to disclose it in front of all the Death Eaters last night because it contains rather sensitive information regarding yourself."

The Dark Lord gestured for her to continue. He had removed her wand from his pocket, where he had kept it overnight, and was again twirling it in his fingers.

Ginny fought back the urge to reach for it and snatch it out of his hands. "As you know, my lord, you first met me when I was eleven years old and had come across your diary. You also know, that as a result of our encounter, Harry Potter discovered the truth and destroyed your diary."

Voldemort hissed, angry.

"Harry Potter now knows the truth behind the diary. He knows that in destroying it, he destroyed a piece of your soul. I believe another reason that he went to France is to find and destroy another one of these horcruxes."

Voldemort contained his anger well. He merely said, "ah, I see," but his hands had started to shake and he was no longer twirling Ginny's wand in a nonchalant manner. He started talking, as if to himself, "but he will never find them all. He can't. The diary, that was one thing, but it was practically delivered into his arms. The ring, the cup, the locket…" He looked up and realized that Ginny and Draco were listening to every word he said. He reclined back in his chair and resumed playing with Ginny's wand.

"Ginny Weasley," he suddenly barked.

"Yes, my lord?"

"Your family, they are all members of the Order of the Phoenix, are they not?"

Ginny tried to sound hateful. "Yes, my lord."

"Then they will have more exact information on the whereabouts of Harry Potter and his progression with his task?"

"I don't know, my lord. My family and I are not on speaking terms, my lord."

"You need to collect information on the whereabouts and the progress of Harry Potter and relay that information to me as you receive it."

"Yes, my lord. I will do my best."

"There will be repercussions if you do not." The Dark Lord smiled evilly.

"Yes, my lord." A thought occurred to her. "How do I contact you, my lord?"

His smile widened. "Through our connection, of course. I'll give you a little demonstration." He grabbed Ginny's arm which was lying on the table and pulled up her sleeve, exposing the Dark Mark. "Think a thought, any thought," he said. "You know what to do, Draco."

Feeling slightly ill at the pain he was about to cause Ginny, he placed his tree middle fingers on her Dark Mark. He heard her gasp in pain.

"You may stop, Draco," said Voldemort.

He removed his fingers from Ginny's arm. The skin around her tattoo was bright red and inflamed from being used so closely to the time of its creation.

"A handy piece of magic, isn't it?" the Dark Lord asked. "All it takes are two Death Eaters and a thought, and I can hear that thought too."

Ginny nodded, her hand making a fist and her fingernails digging into the palm of her hand in order to detract attention from the pain in her wrist.

"You were thinking 'I love snow,'" said Voldemort. "Bit of a petty thought, isn't it?"

"It was the first thing I thought of, my lord."

"Indeed." Voldemort paused and flicked Ginny's wand across the table at her. "Leave us."

Wary, Ginny picked up her wand and left the table, staring at Draco as she backed out of the room and into a hallway where both Narcissa and Lucius happened to be waiting, ears pressed to the door. Ignoring them, and the voice of Lucius calling after her, she retraced her steps from the morning and made her way back up to Draco's room, where she waited in silence for him to come back to her.

He returned half an hour later, looking weary but no worse for wear.

"What was that about!" Ginny asked, welcoming him into the room with a hug.

"A task for me," he replied vaguely.

"What is it?" Ginny asked again.

"I can't tell you here." He offered his right arm. "Grab on."

Ginny had barely managed to slide her arm through his when her feet were lifted off the ground and three seconds later were firmly planted on the street of Hogsmeade. No one seemed surprised to see two students magically appear where before there had only been air.

"Why couldn't you tell me at your house?" Ginny pestered.

"I get nervous when I'm at home too long. I start to feel like the house is listening to me."

"But we talked so much about the Order in your room…surely that information is still a secret."

"Of course it is," Draco said quickly. "I cast nonverbal spells around us to ensure that nobody could listen in even if they wanted to. I just get nervous when _he _is in the house for too long."

Ginny nodded. "I understand…so what did he ask you to do?"

"Well I'm not going to do it!" Draco said defensively.

"You haven't told me what _it _is."

"He wants me to be the one to kill Professor McGonagall, you know, to prove my loyalty to him since I couldn't bring myself to do it when he asked me to kill Professor Dumbledore. He gave me a plan of attack and everything."

"We'll figure something out," said Ginny calmly, while her mind was anything but.

* * *

**Thanks for reviewing! More? Please?**


	17. Letter to the Order

Letter to the Order

* * *

Draco and Ginny silently walked up through Hogsmeade and headed for the Hogwarts grounds. A Death Eater whom Ginny did not recognize was sitting against the iron bars through which Draco and she would have to pass in order to be on Hogwarts property. He nodded curtly at Draco as they passed, but glared at Ginny, obviously not having received the notice that she was the newest member of Voldemort's social club.

Once they were walking past the Black Lake, a heavy weight seemed to be lifted from Ginny's shoulders. There was something about Hogwarts itself that made Ginny feel calm and safe, though she knew that since Dumbledore had died, Hogwarts had become a great deal less safe. There were Death Eaters who were teachers, for goodness sakes. Ginny shivered at the thought that she would soon be on a first name basis with many of the Death Eaters who the Order was fighting so hard against. Not only that, but in order to remain on Voldemort's good side, she was going to have to share some truthful information. She hoped she hadn't hindered Harry's progress too much by mentioning the horcruxes.

"We need to go to the owlery and write Lupin," said Ginny when they reached the entrance hallway.

"Not right now," mumbled Draco out of the corner of his mouth. "We're being watched."

"What?" Ginny hissed.

"The Death Eater at the gate, his name's Dolohov. He knows me and hasn't trusted me since the Professor Dumbledore incident. He doesn't know you, but you look like a Weasley, and therefore he has probably deemed you untrustworthy." He paused and grabbed Ginny's hand. "He must've sent a message on ahead, because the Carrow's are now watching us from the top of the staircase on the left. Giggle," he ordered.

Ginny faked a laugh.

Draco gave her a look that clearly stated that he thought that was the lamest attempt at a laugh ever.

"We'll try this a different way then." He led Ginny over to a bench that was carved into the wall and they sat down. "I'm going to kiss you now."

Ginny barely registered what he had said before Draco's soft lips had attached themselves to hers. One of Draco's hands had come up to cradle her face, holding it gently at an upwards angle, brushing Ginny's cheek with his thumb. His other hand wrapped itself around Ginny's body, resting on the small of her back and holding her tightly.

Ginny's hands moved to Draco's head, locking themselves around long blonde tufts of silky, soft hair. Unconsciously, her lips parted, making way for Draco's smooth tongue. She growled and bit his lower lip, opening her eyes to see if he was peeking as well.

"Excuse me!" The voice was high pitched and wheezy. Alecto Carrow. New professor of Muggle Studies and Death Eater extraordinaire.

Draco and Ginny broke apart, grinning shamefully. Despite the kiss being a ploy to detract attention from their possible suspiciousness, Ginny couldn't suppress her elation at just having been thoroughly snogged by Draco Malfoy. "Sorry, professor," she giggled. "We just couldn't help it!"

Professor Carrow ignored her and turned to Draco. "You know better to be fraternizing with someone like her," she spat. "Someone who is so full of Dumbledore-esque tendencies and who comes from a family of blood traitors as well."

"I beg your pardon!" Ginny stood up, towering over the short, squat woman.

"You stay away from our precious Draco," warned Professor Carrow.

"I will do no such thing," said Ginny, glaring at the professor. "And you're beginning to sound a lot like Bellatrix." Professor Carrow gaped at her. "And that's not a good thing!" Ginny stormed past her teacher and up the nearest set of stairs, Draco chuckling behind her.

"You shouldn't have done that," he chided.

"Well _she_ shouldn't have interrupted," said Ginny, crossing her arms and looking around, trying to get her bearings. They were on the second floor near the library, but nowhere close to the staircase that would lead them to the owlery. They continued walking.

"What? You liked that?" Draco teased.

"Not as much as you'll like this!" Ginny pushed Draco against the nearest wall and began to kiss him in earnest. It wasn't so much tender as before, but a kiss of passion and of need. She forced her tongue into his mouth before switching tactics and moving her lips to kiss Draco's neck and then dragging her teeth across his ears, causing him to shudder.

"GINNY WEASLEY!"

"Not again..." Draco groaned.

Ginny whirled around. "Yes, professor?"

"What is the meaning of this...this behaviour in the hallway?" It was Professor McGonagall, looking her sternest and hurrying down the hallway towards the pair.

"Well, professor," Ginny began, twirling her hair around her fingertip, "we just returned from a trip for the Order, you see, and it was so successful that we just had to celebrate."

McGonagall made a noise that sounded like a strangled goat.

"I mean, professor, just look at him!" She motioned to Draco, who was still leaning against the wall. "He's so attractive and his lips are just so...kissable that I simply had to give in to my desires."

"Well I never—" McGonagall paused, and Ginny would have sworn that she saw her suppress a smile. "Just hurry along back to your houses. The hallways aren't meant for public displays of affection. I _should_ give you both a detention, but as I don't want to put you in the hands of the Carrow's, I'll settle for giving you a stern reprimand instead."

Draco and Ginny looked at her expectantly.

McGonagall conjured two pieces of paper and handed one to each of them. "Here is your stern reprimand. Move along now." She walked past them and through a doorway that was ten feet farther along the wall than they were standing.

Ginny looked at her piece of paper.

_Stern Reprimand._

She snorted. "I'd always wondered whether or not that woman had a sense of humour."

"What did she mean that she didn't want to put us in the hands of the Carrow's?" asked Draco.

"Saint Malfoy never had a detention?" Ginny taunted. "Nah, they probably wouldn't treat you like they treat the rest of us anyways. Anyone who gets detention gets the Cruciatus Curse. And sometimes they force other students to be the ones to cast it."

Draco grimaced. "Such a Death Eater thing to do."

"Indeed," said Ginny. She reached for his hand, leading him to the owlery. She hoped that it would be quiet and empty so they could draft and mail an explanatory letter to Lupin.

_Lupin,_

_Draco and I have returned to Hogwarts from Malfoy Manor and have both information and requests for the Order. Firstly, in order to guarantee that I can obtain information from You-Know-Who, I have chosen to receive the Dark Mark. I know that this will reflect badly on me if ever my family were to find out, but it was the only option I could see that would gain You-Know-Who's trust. (I'd rather you not tell my parents about this at the moment, I plan on trying to tell them over the Christmas holidays.) Additionally, now that I have the Dark Mark, I am essentially at the beck and call of You-Know-Who and he can contact me at any time should he wish to do so. Therefore, it is essential that I have information that I can pass on to him regarding the Order. I do not expect all of this information to be true, but I think I will need at least some half-truths to stay in his good graces._

_Secondly, I was given a mission by You-Know-Who to discover and relay any information that my family/the Order has on the whereabouts of Harry Potter. I don't know if Harry's contacted you at all, but I've told the Dark Lord that Harry is headed for France in order to find horcruxes. Again, this will do for the time being, but I may need help inventing other locations for Harry to travel to, or perhaps, if you know of any, you can inform me of places that Harry has already been, so that way I wouldn't really be lying. Draco was also given a mission. As you know, at the end of last year, it was supposed to be his job to kill Professor Dumbledore. He didn't do so and has now been given a redeeming task, which is to kill Professor McGonagall. Obviously, Draco doesn't want to kill her, so any advice you have on that matter would be incredibly useful._

_Thirdly, the information we obtained. Judging from his reaction during conversation, You-Know-Who has split his soul to ensure everlasting life and in doing so he created horcruxes. We don't know quite how many he has made, but he said 'there's no way he will find them all,' and proceeded to mention a ring, a cup, and a locket. Tom Riddle's diary has already been destroyed, so there are four total horcruxes that I know about. However, I've got this hankering feeling that he made more than four. Please let Harry know if he contacts you—I'm sure the information will be useful to him._

_I am planning on keeping a low profile for the remainder of the term and coming home/to headquarters for Christmas if possible. I know Draco would be welcome as well, right? And I think we should initiate him as a member of the Order._

_-Ginny_

She showed the finished letter to Draco, who smirked, amused at her last two sentences. "It looks fine to me," he said. "I don't think you've left anything out." He grinned wickedly. "Unless you want to inform him that we've been sternly reprimanded by two professors for snogging in the hallways."

Ginny snorted. "No. I think that is information that we should keep to ourselves." She deftly tied the letter to the ankle of a grey owl named Dedalas and watched him soar out of the window until she could no longer see him. "Can we spend the rest of the day not thinking about Death Eaters or the Order or, Merlin forbid, homework?"

"Oh I think I know a way to keep your mind free from distractions," murmured Draco, trailing a finger down Ginny's spine. "Do you think the Room of Requirement is open?"

* * *

**I wanted to get a little comic relief in there-I can't handle it when things get too serious! Big hugs to my one reviewer-my wish upon a star is that I'll get many reviews for this chapter, (hint!). **


	18. Back to Normal

Back to Normal

* * *

Ginny and Draco didn't quite make it to the Room of Requirement before classes let out for the day and the corridors were flooded with students. Instead of attempting to manoeuvre their way through the throngs, Ginny and Draco parted ways and headed for their respective common rooms.

It hadn't occurred to Ginny that missing four days of class would result in a lot of extra work for the weekend, but after talking to Neville Longbottom for an hour about what work she had missed, she was thoroughly depressed. She glanced at her to-do list.

_TO DO_

_Potions:  
3 ft. – properties of essence of dittany  
3 ft. – properties and uses of the Falipatorious Potion_

_Transfiguration:  
practice the wand movements for changing a wardrobe into a bookcase  
2 ft. – why the above wand work is necessary_

_Charms:  
2ft. – the usefulness of the Silencio Charm_

_Dark Arts:  
3 ft. –Avada Kedavra: how and why it works, the mechanics behind the spell_

_Herbology:  
Hands-on – Re-potting mandrakes (again)  
1 ft. –why is herbology important to you_

_Care of Magical Creatures:  
3 anatomically correct drawings of kneazles, labelled_

Ginny frowned.

"I can help you with some of it, Ginny!" offered Neville. "I've already turned in the essay on dittany because it was due yesterday, and we could re-pot the mandrakes together if you want to!"

"Thanks, Neville. If I need any help with Snape's essay I'll holler at you." She glared at her list. "When were you going to go to the greenhouses?" she asked absently.

"Tonight after dinner. Luna's going to come too. Do you want to join us?"

Neville sounded so excited at the prospect of Ginny joining in on the greenhouse fun that she couldn't possibly turn him down. "Yeah, actually," she said, "that way I can at least have one thing done by tonight."

Neville wandered away, saying that he would see Ginny at dinner, leaving her to her thoughts, which were first and foremost about why Neville was offering to help Ginny with her potions homework, when he was terribly helpless at potions.

Sighing, she reached into her book bag for her potions textbook, thinking that she'd at least try to get a paragraph written before dinner. She flipped to the chapter about magical herbs and had just found the section about dittany when she was interrupted.

"I hear you've been hanging around a lot with Draco Malfoy." The girl slid into the seat across from Ginny. "Where have you been all week?"

"That's none of your business, Romilda," Ginny replied dully, not wanting to get into a long tedious conversation with someone who, in Ginny's opinion, was one of Gryffindor's stupidest inhabitants. She still hadn't forgiven her for the love potion that Ron ended up eating.

"It's because I was just thinking, if you're hanging around with Draco Malfoy and leaving the school for days at a time, people are going to get the wrong idea about you."

"People can think whatever they want." Then Ginny snorted. _You people have ideas that are nowhere close to the real thing, _she thought.

"I just wanted to warn you, because people are going to think that you're snogging Draco Malfoy. And then, people are going to think that you're a traitor to Gryffindor because you're kissing the Slytherin prince." Romilda batted her eyelashes sickeningly.

"I really appreciate your warnings," said Ginny in a tone that relayed the opposite, "but I think I can handle everything by myself." She picked her potions textbook back up. "Now, if you don't mind, I have an essay that I really should be writing right now."

Romilda looked upset at being brushed off so easily, but Ginny didn't care. There were actually very few people that she considered friends at Hogwarts, and Romilda definitely wasn't one of them. In fact, Romilda Vane didn't even make the 'I can tolerate you on occasion' list.

Ginny's goal of having a paragraph done by dinner proved to be quite unreachable. While her potions textbook gave a good overview of the many uses of dittany, there wasn't much material about the properties of the plant and why it could do what it can. She only managed to crank out an opening sentence, (The essence of dittany can be harvested at many locations throughout the world, making it one of the most easily attainable, versatile plants that is widely used in potions making), before Neville collected her for dinner and dragged her away from the textbook.

Dinner was a quiet affair. The students all spoke within their houses and there were no outrageous remarks or insults shared between them. Several people asked Ginny where she had been, ("Oh...away. I hadn't been feeling well"), and a few mentioned her friendship with Draco Malfoy, but Ginny did her best to stave off any rumours. She was also very conscious about keeping her sleeves pulled down practically to her fingertips so no one would notice her new tattoo.

After a filling meal of roasted Cornish game hens, French-style green beans, mashed potatoes and blueberry pie, Ginny and Neville stood up to meet Luna by the oak doors. The trio headed out of the Great Hall and onto the school grounds, talking amiably, but about nothing in particular on their way to the greenhouses.

Greenhouse number three greeted them with the familiar stench of potting soil and, unfortunately, baby's diapers. They found the selection of pots that had been made ready for habitation sitting next to a pile of fluffy earmuffs. Ginny chose bright purple, Luna neon yellow, and Neville stuck to an earthy green. Giving each other thumbs ups, they each began to pull struggling mandrake toddlers out of their pots and trying to force them into clean pots and covering them with soil before they could manage to flip their pots and crawl away across the greenhouse floor.

In an hour, they had successfully re-potted fifteen mandrakes. Ginny had only been bitten three times, and Luna had managed to lose only one mandrake to the greenhouse floor. It took them all fifteen minutes, sitting on the floor patting their legs and making coo-ing noises, to entice the mandrake from its hiding place under a venomous tentacula, which none of them had wanted to get anywhere close to. Neville finally managed to get his hands around its chubby midsection and forced it into the final pot. Ginny and Luna shovelled potting soil over it.

Sweating and exhausted, Ginny followed Luna and Neville back to the castle, grateful that she could cross half of herbology off of her to-do list. She grimaced at the amount of dirt she felt under her fingernails, and she was sure that she had soil in her hair. Astonishingly, Neville had not a speck on him. "How do you do it, Neville?"

Neville looked at Ginny, confused.

"Keep so clean, she means," said Luna. "I bet it's because there's a swarm of neatled rumkins that follows you around, Neville. They're attracted to the shoes you wear."

Neville and Ginny looked down at Neville's plain, black shoes. "Yeah, right," said Neville.

"See you guys later," said Luna once they reached the entrance hall. "Be on the lookout for nargles!"

Ginny shook her head. "She's totally bonkers, you know."

"Well, yeah!" replied Neville as they headed for the Gryffindor common room. "But we love her just the same."

Ginny smiled. Her eyes lit up even more when she noticed who was waiting for her across from the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"I'll, uh, see you later, Ginny," mumbled Neville as he ducked through the portrait.

Ginny waved goodbye. She sauntered over to the figure leaning on the wall. He was so handsome, leaning there so nonchalantly. "So, _apparently_, if I keep hanging around with you, people are going to get the wrong idea."

"I say let them," replied Draco. "You've been getting the third degree, too?" he asked.

Ginny shook her head. "No, not really. Romilda, she's a couple years below us, thinks that people are going to think I'm a traitor to Gryffindor, but she's the only one who's said anything to me. Have you?"

"Yeah. Pansy won't shut up about how long we were off campus for. Stupid cow. She keeps speculating about what was happening when we were gone. Seems nobody's filled her in yet. Poor thing was practically itching to talk to me when I got back to the room."

Ginny's stomach fluttered awkwardly at the thought of Pansy and Draco sitting on a couch together while Pansy used all of her feminine charm to get information out of Draco. Suddenly she felt a little more nauseous than she had just before meeting the Dark Lord. "I don't like her," Ginny grunted.

Draco was amused at the expression on Ginny's face. "Jealous, are we?"

"Me? Jealous? Hah." Ginny forced a laugh. "Why would I be jealous of that tramp? What could she possibly have that would make me jealous? Hah."

Draco snorted. "Oh, I don't know. A devilishly handsome housemate, all the time in the world to spend with said housemate, fantastic snogging skills..."

Ginny's eyes widened until she realized that Draco was simply making things up. "It's good to know that I don't have anything to worry about now that we're—"

"Who says we're anything?"

"I just...well, I assumed after the snogging and the holding hands, and me telling you that I liked you..."

"Don't panic, Ginny!" Draco laughed at Ginny's red face and flustered expression. "Of course we're together now." As if to seal the deal, Draco bent down and brushed Ginny's lips lightly with his own.

Her breath caught in her throat. "Is that why you came up here to see me?"

"No," said Draco, turning suddenly serious. "We should go to the Room of Requirement."

They walked together through the castle to the Room of Requirement. Draco refused to say why he wanted to talk in there, so being the emotionally mature person she was, Ginny hummed Weasley is our King repetitively until they reached their destination.

This time, the room appeared to be a small coffee shop. There were no waiters, of course, but the fundamentals were all there: a cozy room, oversized pastries, and two chairs huddled around a small table.

"What's going on, Draco?"

"I didn't want to be overheard in the hallways. There are Death Eaters all over this school now that Dumbledore has gone." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a slightly crumpled Daily Prophet. "Have you seen this?"

Ginny shook her head, feeling apprehensive.

"Your brother is listed among missing witches and wizards. He was last spotted in muggle London, in the company of nobody but himself." He shook out the paper and started reading. "Ronald Weasley, son of Arthur Weasley who works for the Ministry of Magic, is missing. He has not been seen for two days, after being sighted alone and 'angry looking' in muggle London. Attempts at locating charms have been unsuccessful. If anybody has information on the whereabouts of Ronald Weasley, they are urged to contact blah-blah-blah."

All of the blood drained out of Ginny's face. "This is entirely my fault."

"No, Ginny, don't think that. I'm sure nothing terrible has happened to him."

She gave him a pointed stare. "If he is in You-Know-Who's hands because of me, I will never forgive myself."

"I..." he faltered. "They're going to find him, Ginny. I just thought it was noteworthy because neither Hermione nor Harry is listed in the missing section of the paper, and we thought that they were all travelling together."

Ginny let out a strangled sob.

"They probably split up to better prepare themselves," Draco offered.

"I told You-Know-Who that they were in France! Last time I checked muggle London isn't particularly close to France."

"But Ron can apparate! He could get from France to London in just over three seconds. See? Our story is still feasible. You can't appear distressed, Ginny. The Carrows will pick up on it and report your emotional state to the Dark Lord. You have to be ambivalent on the outside, at least. No matter what happens."

Ginny nodded and squeezed Draco's hand. "You're right," she sniffed. "Ron's pretty smart. He'll be able to get himself out of any sticky situation that he gets into."

"That's the spirit, Ginny! Ron's going to be fine! You will come up with fabulous lies that will lead the Dark Lord astray, and I won't kill Professor McGonagall."

"Golly, what rebels we are," said Ginny sarcastically, rubbing away the last of her tears.

* * *

**Thanks to my one reviewer on the last chapter. Please review more! I'm offering chocolate ice cream. With cherries on top?**


	19. Trouble

Trouble

* * *

Ron woke up in a dark room with his hands tied behind his back and his pockets turned inside out. After struggling for a minute to sit up, he managed to get a look around. From the sight, he could tell that he was in some sort of dungeon. There was only one window, very high up on one of the walls, practically bordering the ceiling. The floor was made of cold stone or brick, as were the walls, and the only illumination in the room was daylight coming from the window. Ron couldn't make out a door and didn't remember being brought to a dungeon, so he had no idea where he was or why he was there.

The last thing he remembered was being so mad at Harry and Hermione that he left them. He left them in the English countryside so that they could search for horcruxes alone. Because they always were much happier when little, old Ron wasn't in the picture. So he left. He hadn't really had a destination in mind when he apparated away from them, and it was a wonder he hadn't spliced himself. He must have landed in the middle of a group of snatchers.

No...That wasn't it.

His head was killing him, but he still struggled to remember the events of the previous day.

He completely remembered leaving. He just couldn't quite grasp where he had ended up. Diagon Alley? He didn't think so. Home? Definitely not. The old forest where he used to go camping with Fred, George, and Bill when he was younger? That must have been it.

He pictured the old growth forest. The trees were huge, with their lowest branches at least forty meters up along their trunks, with leaves that spread across the entire sky. Even when it was daytime it seemed to be night and it required a fire, (or a wand) to see anything at all. It all came flooding back to him.

_He'd apparated to Filiney's Forest. He was just going to walk around a bit and think. It was a calming place for him. Before he'd walked too far he could see a tent and a fire pit with several people milling around by the fire. Wary, he had crept closer, dodging behind trees whenever anyone looked in his general direction and trying to walk as silently as possible in order to get closer to the camp to see if the people were friend, foe, or camping muggles, though he didn't think they would be the latter._

_He got close enough to pick up snippets of the conversation._

"_There's a new one, I hear," said a man with a thick London accent._

"_Funny, that. The Dark Lord doesn't usually take recruits," replied a woman._

"_Naw, he prefers to stun them and then make them do whatever he wants."_

The Imperius Curse,_ thought Ron._

"_I hear she's a young one." The man spoke again._

"_Too bad he won't let us play with her!" A new woman was pacing around the fire. "I much prefer it when he lets us do with them what we will." She was fingering her wand menacingly._

"_Oh we all know how much you enjoy torture."_

"_It's just so much fun!" The woman sounded gleeful._

_Ron was revolted._

"_We'll get to meet her soon enough. I hear she has family in high places."_

"_Family doesn't mean anything!"_

"_It does when they on Dumbledore's side."_

"_She's a traitor!"_

_Ron crept closer to make sure he didn't miss anything. A twig snapped. _

_Suddenly, the four Death Eaters were staring in Ron's direction with their wands at the ready._

_He held his breath, back pressed up against the tree, praying that his wand would not malfunction and wishing more than anything that he had not left Harry and Hermione and gone off alone. The anger he had felt earlier seemed unreasonable now._

"_Stupefy!" Ron sprang from behind the tree and aimed at the nearest Death Eater, who unsuspectingly fell victim to Ron's spell. But Ron was no match for the three other fully grown Death Eaters, who had him bound and gagged within a number of seconds._

"_I recognize this one!" said the woman with the high pitched voice. "He's a Weasley."_

"_What should we do with him?" asked the other woman._

"_We should kill him!"_

"_No!" The man with the thick accent flung out his arm to stop the witches from acting. "He is a friend of Harry Potter. We will bring him to Lucius, and then Lord Voldemort can decide what to go with him." The man pointed his wand at Ron. "Stupefy!"_

That was it. That was all he could remember. Now he suspected he was in some secret dungeon below Malfoy Manor. Ron swore if he ever got out he would kill both Lucius and Draco, simply for being Death Eater pricks.

* * *

Ginny Weasley was in the library trying to ignore the throbbing in her head. It was due in part to the fact that even though Draco said it was probably nothing to worry about, Ron was now listed as missing. The other half of the headache was due to the extremely large and extremely grim textbook that was sitting in front of her as she tried to concentrate on her Dark Arts essay. Needless to say, it wasn't going well. Earlier in the day, Draco had helped Ginny finish her Potions essay on the properties of dittany, which was only half of the homework for that class. Being away for so long had seriously added to the amount of homework that she had to do. And it was NOT going well.

Ginny slammed her head down on the table at the exact moment that someone grabbed her shoulder.

She jumped about a foot in the air.

"Jesus, Neville!" Ginny cried, for she had been studying with Neville earlier in the day.

"I am NOT Neville Longbottom!"

Ginny turned around and realized that she was face to face with Alecto Carrow. "I'm sorry, Professor. I thought you were a friend of mine."

"I've been watching you, Ginny Weasley." The professor/Death Eater pulled up a chair next to Ginny.

"I've noticed," Ginny said icily.

"You've been hanging around with Draco Malfoy."

"Yes."

"You are going to stop seeing him."

"No."

"Yes, you are," Alecto's eyes flashed angrily. "He has a job to do and doesn't need any distractions from the likes of you."

"The likes of me?"

"Yes. You, from your family of purebloods who mingle so much with half bloods and muggle borns that your blood gets less pure by the minute. You, who give sad, lost love, puppy dog eyes to Harry Potter, the-boy-who-is-too-good-for you. You, who wears clothes that have been passed down through generations and can't afford anything better." She leaned very close to Ginny, dropping her voice to a whisper. "You, one of the biggest blood traitors I've ever had the displeasure of meeting, the person least deserving of Draco Malfoy's affections. You need to stay away from him. Else something bad might accidentally happen," she threatened.

"Oh, professor. You really are naive aren't you?" Ginny spoke in a bored voice, trying not to show how angry she was at being belittled by her 'professor.'

"You're asking for a detention, young lady!"

"I'd like to see you try," Ginny sneered.

"That's it! Detention, tonight, eleven o'clock in my classroom." Alecto stood up and practically growled at Ginny, before stalking out of the library.

"I won't be there!" Ginny called after her, receiving a stern reprimand from Madam Pince for her volume. She giggled, picturing the professor's face when she realized that Ginny was going to stay true to her word and not show up to detention.

Sighing, she turned back to her textbook and resumed researching her essay. She still couldn't concentrate. Her brother was missing. Her teacher was on the prowl. She hadn't heard back from Lupin. And someone was probably going to start trying to prevent her from seeing Draco. Staring blankly at the pages in front of her, Ginny decided that she was simply not going to do her homework. She was completely against the learning of the Dark Arts, did not want to know what the Avada Kedavra curse did to one's body to make them die, and wasn't going to use any of the material for her job, that is, if she survived the war that was obviously to come. She closed the book and replaced it on a shelf.

Ginny left the library and headed out of the castle, searching for the quietness of the grounds at night and the ability to be alone with her thoughts. She headed for her favourite tree by the lake and learned up against the trunk, closing her eyes and trying to clear her mind.

_Suddenly, strong arms were encircling her. She snuggled down into their warmth, but when she opened her eyes, the arms had disappeared and in their place were two live, wriggling, and angry snakes. She stared at the snakes, not blinking, not moving, only thinking:_ I am going to die_. One of the snakes made to lunge at her face. She jerked her head back only to hit it on a sharp rock. She was in a cave, dark and alone. It was full of snakes, the light in their eyes the only thing she could see...one of them was laughing. It was laughing and transforming. Its tail was shrinking; splitting into two...it was becoming a man. A man with a high, cold, cruel laugh. She was stuck in a cave with Voldemort and thousands of snakes. He turned his eyes on her, and although she knew she wasn't supposed to show weakness, Ginny screamed._

She woke up with a start, heart racing and tears in her eyes. Darkness had fallen and Ginny was very much alone. There was a cool breeze coming off the lake which sent goose pimples up and down her spine. She hurried inside to dinner, not able to shake off the feeling of foreboding.

She sat down next to Neville and tried to look happy.

"Hiya, Ginny!" he greeted.

"Hullo, Neville." Ginny stared at her plate, suddenly not hungry. She put a bun on her plate. That made it look even emptier. She piled on green beans absently. Better.

"Are you going to actually eat any of that, Ginny?" asked Neville.

"What?" Ginny asked. "Oh, yeah, yeah I think so." She took a bite half-heartedly.

"Okay. What's wrong?"

"I just...I'm nervous because I saw that Ron was on the missing list," said Ginny truthfully.

"I know. I saw that," Neville lowered his voice. "I've half a mind to leave this place and join your brother and Harry on the outside. We're never going to be able to accomplish anything from inside here. It's like a prison."

Ginny looked at Neville, surprised. "You're leaving?"

"No, but only because Professor McGonagall has asked me to stay. She says that someone will have to lead a resistance when the time comes."

"Are you doing something like the D.A?"

"You are brilliant!" Neville looked like he might kiss her. "I was just planning on organizing people right when the fighting started, but that's a much better idea. I've got to go find Professor McGonagall!" He stood up and ran out of the Great Hall.

Ginny was surprised to see that she had managed to eat all of her food while listening to Neville. Not having anything better to do than rile up Alecto Carrow some more, Ginny stood up and headed for Draco at the Slytherin table.

She could feel the Carrows' eyes on her. She smirked. Trying to be overtly flirtatious, she bent over behind Draco and whispered in his ear, one arm resting over his shoulder and one positioned dangerously high up on his thigh. "I'm trying to rile up the teachers," she whispered.

Draco batted his eyelashes. "Why's that?"

"Because they don't like me interacting with you." She giggled flirtatiously. "Apparently I am keeping you from your all important mission."

"The Carrows?" Draco asked, turning towards her.

"Of course. Who else?" She kissed him lightly on the lips and turned to go, pulling on his arm for him to accompany her.

Draco followed Ginny out of the Great Hall and up to the Room of Requirement. It looked much like it had the previous night when Draco had broken the news. Ginny sat down at the lonely table.

"I'm having nightmares," she stated. "About snakes and Voldemort. Do you think it means anything?"

"Probably only that you're nervous," said Draco. "Which is allowed, especially since it's been a few days since we've had contact with You-Know-Who. We're going to need to send him information soon."

"And come up with a solution to the kill Professor McGonagall problem."

"Yeah. I'm trying to avoid thinking about that."

There was a long silence.

"Neville's organizing a resistance," said Ginny, changing the subject, "for the war that is to come."

"You can't join," said Draco.

"I have to join!"

"You have a Dark Mark. I doubt they'll let you in knowing that. Not to mention that if anyone on You-Know-Who's side finds out that you're a member, it's bound to get back to him. And I don't think you'll want to deal with it then."

"I guess you're right." Ginny sighed. "This sucks."

"Tell me about it," said Draco. "It's been like this my whole life."

"_Will_ you tell me about it?"

As Draco opened his mouth to begin his life story, Ginny cried out and at the same instant, Draco knew why. Their wrists felt as if they were on fire. Their Dark Marks were writhing and moving. They were being called home by their Master.

* * *

**Reviews? Please? I'd love to know what you all think.**


	20. Ron Weasley

Ron Weasley

* * *

The pain dulled over time, but Ginny could hardly feel it as she looked at Draco with panic in her eyes. "What are we going to do? We can't go there now! I don't have anything to say! We haven't made headway with anything! The Order hasn't even bothered to write us back! I can't face _him_. Not now. Not with Ron missing and the Carrow's out for blood and my nerves are all frazzled!" She held up her Dark Mark to Draco. "This _thing_ is going to be the death of me!"

"Calm down, Ginny," said Draco. "We have a couple days, remember? We can just send him a message via Dark Mark that we can't get away from school right now."

Ginny took a deep breath. "Okay..." She pulled up her sleeve and held out her arm. "I'll just think that we're going to be late for some reason."

"No," said Draco. "I'll do it." He looked into Ginny's eyes. "I don't want to cause you any more pain."

"How noble of you." Ginny pulled her sleeve back down as Draco pushed his up. "Maybe you should have been in Gryffindor."

Draco snorted. "Yeah, right."

"Ready?"

"Ready."

Ginny reached over to Draco's arm and placed her fingers gently upon his Dark Mark. She didn't miss the small spasm of pain that flitted across his face, but didn't break the contact until he nodded. "I'm sorry, Draco."

He pulled his sleeve down and reclined in his chair, rocking it onto it's back two legs and putting his legs up onto the coffee table in front of him. "It's no big deal. I'm used to it."

"I wish you weren't." Ginny stood up and walked over behind Draco's blonde head. His fingers were laced beneath his head, creating a pillow for him to lean back on. She bent over and kissed him, top lip brushing bottom lip and bottom lip brushing top lip. Her hand rested gently on the side of his face, while Draco's arms stopped supporting his own head and reached behind Ginny to pull her closer. Her tongue traced the contours of his mouth, deftly manoeuvring away from his tongue when it tried to find hers.

Ginny pulled away from the kiss. "I've wanted to do that all day."

Draco smirked.

"When I kiss you I don't have to think about anything else...like You-Know-Who, or Ron, or whether or not I'm going to survive for my seventh year of school."

"I seriously hope you don't ever want to think of Ron when we are kissing."

Ginny scowled. "That's not what I meant!"

Draco laughed. "I know that. I was just trying to lighten the mood!" He paused. "I'm glad you can lose yourself when you're kissing me. It's the least I can do to offer my body to you in return, for use whenever you need it." He winked.

Ginny hit him gently. "You're hopeless."

"I prefer hopeful," replied Draco. "After all, I've teamed up with you, haven't I?"

Ginny smiled. She couldn't help but picture her future, bright and happy with no threat of evil, with Draco Malfoy standing at her side, the pair of them brought together out of the yearning to do good in the world, and staying together out of love.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted. "_You will be present at Malfoy Manor tonight."_

She looked at Draco, eyes wide. "Did you hear that?"

"It was in our minds. You didn't actually hear anything." His face no longer displayed the happiness that was coating it just moments earlier.

"It was...You-Know-Who?" Ginny squeaked.

"Yeah. We're going to have to go. It must be important for him to contact us directly."

Ginny grabbed Draco's hand, putting on a brave face. "I guess it wouldn't turn out too well for us if we didn't show up?"

"No. We should go." He led Ginny out of the Room of Requirement and down out of the castle. Neither of them noticed Amycus Carrow watching them from a window as they stalked across the Hogwarts grounds and took the path to Hogsmeade.

With a small pop, Ginny and Draco emerged spontaneously in Draco's bedroom. It seemed to Ginny that it was way too soon for her to be visiting this manor again. She squeezed Draco's hand. "Back already, huh? Who would've thought?" she said, voicing her thoughts.

"I was hoping not to have to come home at all," said Draco dully. "We better head downstairs."

Ginny nodded, bracing herself for the inevitable.

The pair walked downstairs and through the house until they reached the dining room where they had last seen Lord Voldemort. The doors to the room were open and Ginny and Draco walked in. The room was dark, there was no fire at all and no lanterns were lit along the walls. At first, Ginny couldn't make out anyone sitting inside the room, but as her eyes got used to the dark, she noticed a large blob on the dining room table. She was instantly reminded that she hadn't eaten much for dinner by the grumbling in her stomach.

Ginny dropped Draco's hand and walked towards the table to inspect the shape. She couldn't quite make it out. It was far too big to be any sort of dinner, but the shape was unrecognizable. Suddenly, it moaned.

Ginny leapt backwards and reached for Draco's hand. "What is it?" she whispered.

Draco didn't answer. He'd been present at Death Eater meetings before, and they all had one thing in common: torture. "Lumos!" The light of his wand shone upon the figure lying on the table.

Ginny gasped. "It can't be." She brought her hands up to her mouth and looked away from the figure that she now recognized as her brother. "Ron," she moaned.

Draco grabbed Ginny's shoulders before she could run to her brother. "Remember your role," he hissed into her ear.

Her hands were shaking. Ron looked terrible. His face was swollen and his freckles were hidden by the large purple and blue bruises that were covering his cheeks. His left eye was swollen shut and tears leaked out of its corner. His lips were cracked and bleeding. His arms were tied behind his back and he was curled into a defensive position. He had obviously been tortured, both physically and magically. He moaned again, "Ginny..."

Ginny gasped, wanting to run to Ron and start healing his wounds, but she stopped herself and turned her face away from the table and into Draco's shoulder. "I can't," she whispered.

"You have to," he replied adamantly.

The lights in the room lit up as Lord Voldemort strolled in, followed by Lucius and Fenrir Greyback.

"Good evening, my lord," said Draco, bowing his head and not looking at Voldemort. Ginny followed suit, swallowing frequently to prevent the tears from flowing.

Voldemort sat down at the table right in front of Ron. "We couldn't help it," he hissed. "We had a little fun with him before you arrived." He looked at Ginny. "You can still recognize him, I presume?"

Ginny nodded.

"Good. There's still a little fight left in him though," he turned his wand on Ron. "Crucio!"

Ginny's fingernails dug into her palms as she watched her brother being tortured. Ron was screaming and crying as his body was writhing and contorting into unreasonable positions. Ginny shuddered to remember the pain of the curse. She felt Draco's hand on her back, but got no comfort out of it. This was too much. No sister should ever have to watch her brother being tortured while faking indifference and unable to come to his aid.

Voldemort let up and Ron curled into the fetal position, whimpering and crying. His eyes looked pleadingly at Ginny. "Ginny, help," he croaked.

Ginny shook her head, not looking at Ron.

"Isn't that sweet," Voldemort said, "the brother asks his dear, dear sister to help him and she refuses. Why is that, I wonder?"

"Please," Ron whispered, tears streaming down his face.

"But dear Ginny, he's being polite. Why don't you step up here and help your brother? Another bout of the Cruciatus Curse will do him well, I think."

Ron's face looked horrified; an expression that Ginny felt might have been mirrored on her face. Draco pushed her towards Voldemort. "Yes, my lord," she whispered. She walked over to where Voldemort was sitting, practically brushing shoulders with him.

"Well, go on!" he cried impatiently.

Ginny winced, and hoped that Ron would know that she was sorry. "Crucio." She practically whispered it.

Ginny's curse was nowhere near as strong as that of Lord Voldemort, but it was enough to cause Ron to writhe on the table and moan in pain.

"Stop!"

Ginny lowered her wand. "You don't mean it, do you, Ginny?"

"I do, my lord."

"You are causing him no real pain."

"I have not had much practice with the curse, my lord."

"Feel your rage, Ginny."

"Crucio!" Ginny tried again, thinking of the person she hated most in the world, (with no name just in case Voldemort was monitoring her thoughts), and unleashed the rage and hatred on Ron.

He was screaming and crying, his body thrashing on the table.

"Very good. Now Ginny, finish him off!"

She looked at Voldemort horrified.

"Show him your wrist, Ginny."

Ron's eyes widened and he shook his head weakly. "No, Ginny...he doesn't mean...he can't...you can't..."

Ginny raised her sleeve, knowing that she was breaking her brother's heart, and showed him the Dark Mark that had found its home beneath a layer of her skin.

After watching Ron's initial reaction of confusion and denial, Voldemort pushed Ginny out of the way and motioned to Fenrir. "Bring him to London. Leave him somewhere, anywhere...they'll find him."

Fenrir nodded, picked Ron up off the table, and led him out of the room.

Ron spat at Ginny's feet.

Lord Voldemort laughed.

* * *

**Please take a minute of your time to give me your thoughts!**


	21. Anger

Anger

* * *

Ginny turned her back on Lord Voldemort and made for Draco's side, hoping that they could just head out of the room and back to Hogwarts and that everything would be okay. She was dreaming, of course. Now that Ron knew the truth, or thought he knew the truth, things were likely to become hellish. If Ron knew, it meant that Ginny's family would know, and then it meant that everybody that Molly had ever met would know, and then basically, the entirety of Hogwarts would know. But even worse than that was the fact that Ron was going to bring home the news that Ginny had tortured him at Voldemort's command. It was bad enough that she was using the Cruciatus Curse at all, but the fact that she had turned her wand against her own brother was big news. And really, really bad news. The only good thing that could possibly come out of it was that Voldemort might trust her more. But she'd have to do better on her assigned mission to seal the deal.

She had known when she asked for the Dark Mark what she was getting in to, but now it simply didn't seem worth it. She hadn't learned nearly enough information to compensate for the harm that she had just caused her family. But at least she had Draco at her side.

"Do not turn your back on me, Ginny Weasley," Voldemort hissed.

Ginny turned to face him.

"I am sorry, my lord."

"Usually my new recruits ask for more opportunities to practice their curses."

"Do they, my lord?"

"Don't be impertinent!"

"That was not my intention, my lord. It is simply that I do not need to practice my curses any extra because the Carrow's are making sure that I am receiving plenty of opportunities at Hogwarts."

"Are they?" Voldemort paused. "Good."

Draco stepped up behind Ginny. "My lord, we really should be back at school. We were nearly having a breakthrough with one of Potter's friends when we were called to you, my lord. Unfortunately, he is unlikely to talk again."

Voldemort looked at him. "Who is this friend?"

"That cannot be disclosed, my lord. See, I know your methods, and it will be much easier to get him to talk again if you remain out of the picture for the time being, my lord."

Voldemort glared at him.

Ginny nodded vigorously. "In fact, if we leave right now, my lord, we might be able to catch him before he goes to bed, and it would be really great if the two of us could get him alone. I'm sure the information that he has will be helpful to you with regards to the location of Harry Potter."

"I will not be told what to do by two cheeky teenagers," growled Voldemort. "If I don't have any information by the end of the week, there will be serious consequences."

Draco and Ginny nodded. "Yes, my lord."

"Now get out of my sight," Voldemort hissed.

* * *

Back in the castle, Draco and Ginny were simultaneously relieved and anxious now that they were away from Lord Voldemort. Not only was it tedious for Ginny to maintain her facade in front of Voldemort, but it was also an emotional drain simply to be in his presence. She never quite knew what to expect. He had a way about him that was, dare she say, charming, but he was also completely evil. He embodied her every thought of what a dark wizard should be, with the exception of his charisma. He was venomous, angry, bitter, entirely cruel, and there was just that little something else...but she hated him with all her heart. Ginny found that after being around him for even short periods of time, she picked up some of his anger and his cruelty in her own demeanor.

"I fucking hate him," she spat when they were safely in the Room of Requirement.

Draco was making a large pot of tea. "We all do, darling. Even those who say they love him actually hate him." _Except maybe Bellatrix_, he thought.

"Yeah, but I _really_ fucking hate him."

Draco didn't reply, but placed a steaming mug in front of her.

"I hate green tea."

"It's not green tea, Ginny," said Draco, exasperated.

"Oh." She took a sip. "I just hate him so much!" she exploded.

"Mmhmm," replied Draco, sipping his own tea.

"I mean who does he think he is? You can't just make someone curse someone else, especially their own brother!"

Draco didn't think pointing out that that was precisely what Voldemort just did would be a wise decision. He tried to change the subject. "We're going to need to get him some information. Do you have any ideas?"

"I dunno, why don't we just torture it out of someone?"

Draco sat his mug down on the table rather loudly. "I know that you are angry and upset, but you don't need to take it out on me," said Draco.

Ginny looked at him miserably. "I'm sorry, Draco," she mumbled. "It's just...I just...this was such a bad idea to begin with."

Draco softened, hating to be mad at her. "No, Ginny," he reached over and grabbed her hand, "you're doing great. If we can just make it through this, then everything is going to be fine. People will understand, at the end of all things."

"Whenever that day comes." Ginny looked at her lap. "Until then I get to be the muggle lover turned traitor who tortured her own brother."

"Oh buck up!" cried Draco. "If you feel this sorry for yourself every time we have a meeting with You-Know-Who then I'm not going to deal with it." He stood up as if to leave. "You can either calm down and think rationally, or you can count me out."

"You'd leave me?"

"If you don't start seeing sense anytime soon? Yes."

"Don't leave," Ginny whispered as Draco reached the door. "Please."

Ginny looked so small and sad hugging her knees that Draco couldn't bring himself to leave the room. His pride wanted him to continue what he had started, but he couldn't handle seeing the girl who he had such strong feelings for looking like she did right now. He walked over to a couch towards the back of the room and sat down. "Are you going to be calm now?"

"Yes," Ginny whispered.

"And sensible?"

"Yes."

"Then we need to talk, because we have no plan, and You-Know-Who needs information within three days."

Ginny walked over to Draco. "Can I just curl on you for a minute?"

"Of course."

Ginny got onto the couch and put her head in Draco's lap. She curled into the fetal position and arranged one of Draco's arms across her shoulder and in front of her body where she could lock her fingers within his. "Thank you."

Draco thought that Ginny was going to lay in his lap forever, not that he minded, but there was work to be done. Surprising him, she managed to pull herself together within five minutes and sat up, ready to talk.

"I don't know how we're supposed to get information about Harry until we hear back from the Order," she said.

"I agree," replied Draco. "It's really risky to completely make up another story for You-Know-Who. I don't think that he'd really believe it this time. I also think it's very weird that we haven't heard back from good old Lupin. Has he ever been this delayed before?"

"No, never," said Ginny. "D'you think something's happened?"

"We would have heard about it."

"Maybe it got lost in the mail?"

"Seems more likely that it would've gotten stolen."

Ginny breathed in sharply. "You don't think that a Death Eater has gotten a hold of it?"

"I don't know. You-Know-Who is good at not showing what he feels, but if he knew you were a spy, I'm sure something would've slipped out. Like the Killing Curse or something."

Ginny didn't laugh. "So you think my letter is out there somewhere? Waiting to be discovered?"

"Well, I'm sure it is. But I don't know how you're going to find it. Maybe it would be best to write again."

"But if we write again and say that we didn't get the first letter, then the secrecy of the Order has been compromised and I'm pretty sure they'll cut off all unsecure contact, meaning everything that's not face-to-face, and move to a new location. Meaning we would be completely screwed."

"So if that's not an option, then what is?"

Ginny thought for a moment. "McGonagall," she breathed.

"Excuse me?"

"McGonagall is a member of the Order. We're pretty good about relaying information to all Order members, so she should definitely know by now!"

"Sorry to burst your idea bubble, but you specifically asked Lupin not to tell anyone."

Ginny frowned. "Oh."

They were both silent for a minute.

"Well there's no harm in going to talk to her, right?" asked Ginny. "And if nothing else we can at least warn her that you've been assigned to kill her."

Draco snorted. "That'd go over really well. 'Hi Professor McGonagall, we want to know if you know where our letter is, and by the way, I might kill you so watch out,'" he mimed.

"That's _not_ what I meant," Ginny groaned.

Draco stood up. "Let's do it your way."

"Really?"

"Yeah. We do need to formulate some sort of plan regarding McGonagall anyways. She might as well be in on it, seeing as we will have to stage her death."

"How do we prove that we're really not working for You-Know-Who? You know, because we both have Dark Marks..." Ginny trailed off.

"Did you listen to what I just said? We are going to _stage_ her death. There will be no killing. If we were working for You-Know-Who there would definitely be actual killing."

"Ah." Ginny blushed. "Right."

Draco bent down and kissed her on the cheek. "You're cute when you're flustered," he whispered huskily. As he straightened up he offered her his arm. "Ready to go, milady?"

"Quite." Ginny slid her arm through his and Draco escorted her out of the Room of Requirement. As if it had a brain, it let them out through a door that was just three doors down from McGonagall's office.

They stopped in front of the closed door. Ginny removed her hand from Draco's arm and raised her fist to knock on the door, but right as her hand should have made contact, the door swung open and Ginny was nose-to-nose with Professor Snape.

"Oh! Uh, hello Professor Snape," she said quickly.

"What are the two of you doing roaming the halls at this time of night?"

"Is it late?" asked Ginny.

Draco elbowed her.

"I mean, the other day I lost my transfiguration textbook and it's really necessary for my homework tonight, so we came to ask Professor McGonagall for another copy."

Snape eyed Draco.

"We're partners," Ginny said quickly.

"You sure that you didn't come here looking for something else?" Snape asked, and flashed a sealed envelope at the pair.

* * *

**Thank you to my awesome reviewers! Please review more! Merry Christmas, everyone!**


	22. The Order Answers

The Order Answers

* * *

"Ho-ly shit," Ginny breathed, staring at the envelope in Snape's hand.

"The two of you will accompany me to my office," Snape declared. He walked quickly out of Professor McGonagall's doorway, his cape billowing up behind him. Ginny looked at Draco, who looked perplexed, but shrugged. The pair followed Snape into Professor Dumbledore's old office.

When they reached the tower, Snape slammed the door shut behind them and began mumbling under his breath, walking in circles around the room. When he finally noticed that Draco and Ginny were staring at him as if he'd gone mad, he stopped pacing. "Well? Sit down." He conjured two chairs in front of his desk.

They sat.

"Do you have any idea how much trouble you are in?" Snape growled.

"But sir, we were only out in the corridor past curfew to talk to a Professor," Ginny pointed out.

Snape snorted and sat down behind his desk, setting his elbows on its surface and tapping his fingers together. "Silly girl." Ginny thought he sounded vaguely like Voldemort. "There is so much more to it than that."

"Well, it'd be great if you'll tell us what it is," said Ginny. She knew she was being rude, but she didn't care. Just as she had tired of following the Carrows' endless orders, she had tired of Professor Snape as well. He'd killed Dumbledore and therefore he didn't deserve her respect, even if he was her 'fellow Death Eater.'

"If you would let me finish my sentences, you would know what I am talking about."

Draco put his foot lightly upon Ginny's. "I'm sorry, Professor," she spat.

"Quite. Show me your wrist Weasley."

Ginny hesitated, but held out her wrist for Snape's inspection.

"So you did go through with it," he breathed. "I have not been to Malfoy Manor in some time and have been out of contact with the Dark Lord. Lupin couldn't believe it." Draco and Ginny stared at him. "Hah!" Snape barked. "He owes me a galleon."

"Uh, professor? Would you mind letting us in on the joke?" asked Ginny, covering her wrist back up with her sleeve.

"Isn't it obvious?" drawled Draco. "He's a double agent."

"Correct, five points to Slytherin," said Snape dryly. "Don't gape, Weasley. It isn't that hard to believe."

"But you killed Dumbledore!" Ginny sputtered.

Snape bowed his head and furrowed his eyebrows. "I did. And I'm not going to explain it to you, so don't ask!" he added as Ginny opened her mouth to speak.

"Why are we in trouble?" asked Draco. "Or was that just an excuse to get us down here?"

"Right again," said Snape. "I couldn't simply pass Weasley her letter. It was hard enough getting it away from the Death Eater who has started checking the mail in the first place. The Carrows are getting more and more vigilant every day, and increasingly suspicious of everyone, even their own." He looked down at Ginny's wrist significantly. "Tell me, when did you join the ranks of the trusted Death Eaters?"

"Very recently, sir. Only about a week ago." Ginny was still so confused about the situation that she didn't know what else to say.

"Has he made you kill anybody yet?"

She looked startled. "No! He made me torture...someone, but I haven't been ordered to kill." She looked over to Draco. "Have you...?"

He nodded slightly, but didn't expand.

"I'm sorry," said Ginny, turning back to Snape, "but how do I know that I can trust you? I don't even know why I'm down here talking to you."

Snape slid the unopened letter across the desk to Ginny. "You asked the Order for help, didn't you?"

"_The Order_ trusts you?" asked Ginny. "_Why?"_

"The politics among the Order, the Death Eaters, and me do not concern you. The only matter that should concern you is how to give the Dark Lord misleading but accurate information regarding Potter's whereabouts."

"You read my mail?" shouted Ginny, turning red.

Draco looked over at her. "You promised to be sensible," he warned.

"But not when I'm talking to a lunatic!"

Draco ignored her. "She's having trouble moderating her emotions," he told Snape.

"It's a side effect from receiving the Dark Mark. Excess magic has built up in her system and she's having a hard time expelling it." He walked into his private store cupboard and returned with a blue vial. He popped the lid off and handed it to Ginny. "Drink this." He turned back to Draco. "It's a calming draught," he explained.

Ginny's head felt clearer just moments after finishing the potion. "Sorry, professor," she said sheepishly. "But I do feel as if you should provide me with an adequate reason to trust you."

"I can help you," Snape replied, ignoring her request.

"But how do I know you're not just saying that? How do I know that you're not going to tell You-Know-Who that I'm spying on him the minute I leave this room?"

"You're just going to have to believe me."

Ginny looked to Draco for an answer, but found none. She had always known that Snape favoured him, and obviously Snape was Draco's favourite professor, but she didn't think that Draco could offer her an acceptable reason to trust Snape. She thought back to her fourth year when her brothers had just invented Extendable Ears and how she had often used them to listen in on the secret meetings of the Order. Snape had been allowed into Grimmauld Place back then, before Dumbledore had died. The fact that he'd been let into the old Black house meant that someone had specifically given him access. Back then, Dumbledore was the only secret-keeper. That meant that Dumbledore had allowed Snape into the house. Dumbledore only let in people whom he trusted. Ergo he must have trusted Snape.

"Fine." Ginny crossed her arms. "I believe you." _But I don't have to like you,_ she thought.

"Good," said Snape. "Now," he addressed the pair of them, "what are your specific orders from the Dark Lord?"

"I've been instructed to kill Professor McGonagall, and Ginny's supposed to report any and all information she learns about the location and current mission of Potter," said Draco.

"Minerva will be easy enough to deal with. She did it before, back when the Dark Lord was in power twenty years ago," replied Snape.

"Did what?" asked Ginny.

"Disappeared."

"Well can we make it look like she's actually dead?"

Snape waved her off. "Faking Minerva's death will not be difficult in the least," he said. "Leaking acceptable information about Potter is going to take much more energy."

Ginny looked at him expectantly.

"The two of you must be going to bed. If anyone asks, you had detention with me tonight, and will have it again tomorrow night, nine o'clock sharp, in here. We will speak again then."

"But, Professor?" started Ginny.

"Read the letter," said Snape, pushing the pair out of the door. "Nine o'clock." He slammed it.

"That was bizarre," muttered Ginny, shaking her head.

She absentmindedly reached for Draco's hand as they walked back to the Room of Requirement. They had made it their unofficial headquarters and each of them was spending a minimal amount of time in their respective common room.

"Snape's not a bad guy, you know," said Draco, spreading out on the king sized bed that had appeared in the room.

Ginny grunted.

"Really. You should give him a chance. He may be peculiar, but he's a very safe friend."

"Huh," she replied.

"He's saved my life from You-Know-Who on more than one occasion."

Ginny raised her eyebrows. "Really?"

"Yes. Anyways, I'm assuming that he's been a double agent his whole life. It's got to be a hard life, don't you think? Look at you! You're an emotional wreck and you've only been a double agent for a week. Don't you think that helps explain his erratic behaviour and his anger?"

"I suppose," said Ginny grudgingly.

"So give him a chance, Ginny. He'll come through for us. He always has."

Ginny nodded and climbed into bed with Draco.

"Are you going to read the letter?" he asked.

Ginny unfolded the crumpled note.

_Ginny,_

_I regret your decision to receive the Dark Mark, though at this point I assume there is no chance of me stopping you. I have respected your wishes and not spoken to your mother about your choice, but I strongly urge you to tell them as soon as possible, for when this information becomes public you will find you have very few friends. People tend to believe what they see, not what they know to be true. Again, the Order appreciates the danger that you are willing to put yourself in for the sake of information, but I cannot stress to you the importance of your safety. If You-Know-Who finds out the truth about you, I shudder to think what might happen. Please be careful._

_On the topic of safety, I no longer think it is wise for us to contact each other by owl. Severus Snape is a firm ally to the Order and will be handling all transactions between myself and both you and Draco Malfoy. (I know you don't like him, Ginny, but please try to get past your differences. Dumbledore trusted him, and as head of the Order now, I trust him as well.) Severus is in a similar position to you. He must honour the wishes of You-Know-Who while actually attempting to gain information that will help the Order. He isn't able to attend many meetings with You-Know-Who due to his appointed position as Headmaster, and therefore while he will be able to guide you, he is unable to obtain any information for himself and will not be able to step in if things get too serious, as I understand can sometimes happen during meetings with You-Know-Who._

_I've forwarded the information that you've collected to Harry, and though I do have some information on his whereabouts, it is nothing that I wish to disclose on paper. I have spoken to Severus in person and he will relay some information to you so that you, in turn, can give information to You-Know-Who and hopefully receive information in return. You haven't heard about any attacks that he's planning, by chance? We know that something big is on the horizon, but we don't know when and where. It would be more that useful if you could find out. As for Professor McGonagall, it will be no trouble to fake her death and put her into hiding. You can send her to headquarters and she will have to remain there at all times, like Sirius did, in order to make her death and disappearance seem truthful. Severus can also help you with that._

_I do not think that it would be safe for you to return to headquarters over your winter break due to your new status as a Death Eater. As a young Death Eater, You-Know-Who is less likely to trust you and could have you followed. We cannot put headquarters at risk. I'm sorry._

_-Lupin_

Ginny passed the letter to Draco, keeping silent as he read.

"Told you Snape isn't all that bad," he said when he finished.

"I suppose you're right, like always," Ginny replied, rolling her eyes and snuggling down into the warm spot between Draco's side and arm.

* * *

**Thank you to my reviewers! Please review more!**


	23. Awkward Mornings and Information

Awkward Mornings and Information

* * *

Ginny awoke early the following morning, but did not bother to get out of bed, as she didn't want to awaken Draco. Instead, she relished the closeness of Draco's lean, taut body and the warmth that was emanating from his skin as he slept. Ginny's head was resting on Draco's shoulder, her face facing his, and one of her arms lay across his body. No, she wasn't going to move for the world. At least for this one morning, everything would be perfect. She wasn't going to think about the future, or Voldemort, or her parents...only Draco and how safe she felt in his arms.

Minutes past while Ginny drifted between consciousness and unconsciousness. Sometimes she would catch a fragment of a dream, the tail end of some unhappy story, before she would wake up again and feel happy that Draco was still lying by her side.

Draco awoke after about an hour and pulled Ginny closer to him, acting as a big spoon. "Morning," he said sleepily.

Ginny giggled. "Happy to see me, are you?"

Draco groaned, noticing that this morning, like most mornings, he had woken up with an erection. "Sorry about that."

"It's no problem," Ginny said, scooting closer to Draco to take advantage of his warmth and cuddles, while studiously ignoring the hardness pressing against her lower back.

Suddenly, Draco was on top of her, kissing her mouth and caressing her hair. "Want to take care of it for me?"

Ginny paused. "Uh, well, I don't know..."

"No big deal," Draco said, and he seemed to be quite content with kissing her senseless. And rubbing his large, smooth hands all over her body. Ginny liked Draco. She would even hazard a guess and say that she was in love with him. And she definitely wanted to get more intimate with him, but she was sure that there was a better time than simply waking up one morning. She wanted it to be special.

Draco's hands were everywhere, squeezing her thighs and then travelling upwards to gently hold her face while looking into her eyes to kiss her sweetly. And then he was all over her again, his hands rubbing her shoulders, his teeth nibbling and biting her earlobes, fingertips brushing gently against her breasts.

"Ahem."

Ginny sat straight up and was greeted by the sight of Professor Snape, carefully not looking at his two students sharing a bed. She pulled a blanket up to her chin. "How the _bloody_ _hell _did you get in here?"

Draco sat up and grinned cheekily at Snape, taking care to ensure that his lower half was covered by the bed sheets.

"I was looking for the two students who missed my class this morning," said Professor Snape.

"And you decided to check in here!" shrieked Ginny, ignoring the fact that she most definitely should have attended class earlier that morning.

"I received a tip from the Carrows, who have taken a vested interest in both of your whereabouts at all times, that you had recently been frequenting the Room of Requirement. If I had known what awaited me, I assure you, I would not have been quite so keen on entering the room."

Ginny burned red with embarrassment.

"Is there something you actually wanted, Professor?" asked Draco.

"Indeed. Get dressed, both of you, then we will talk in my office." Snape strode out of the room, his exit marked by the telltale swish of his black robes.

Ginny flopped back into bed. "Oh Merlin."

Draco snorted. "He was more embarrassed than you were, Ginny." He jumped out of bed and reached for an undershirt to wear beneath his robes. "Don't worry about it. Snape's just awkward."

"Snape just saw me without a bra on!"

Draco threw it at her.

"He's an adult. He's been here before. I promise he knows what sex is. No need to be such a prude."

Ginny made a gagging noise but proceeded to put on her clothes. "Well, aside from him, it was a lovely way to wake up."

Draco winked.

* * *

Draco and Ginny had started heading for Snape's tower when Ginny was pulled aside by Alecto Carrow, who shooed Draco onwards. Ginny shot him a withering look as Draco did as he was told. Professor Carrow led Ginny into a nearby abandoned classroom.

"I have warned you and warned you," said Alecto, clicking her tongue at Ginny disapprovingly. "First, you insult me, then you refuse to show up to the detention that you have been given, and then you continue to do what I have warned you not to do in the first place."

Ginny glared at her. "So?"

"I'm taking it upon myself to see that you learn your lesson. Remember your lesson?"

Ginny was silent. Alecto reminded her of Professor Umbridge but with a deeper voice and without the same passion for kittens.

"You will stay away from Draco Malfoy."

"Oh tha-aat lesson," Ginny drawled sarcastically.

"Stop it, you insolent girl!" screeched Alecto. "Crucio!"

Ginny felt as if she was standing on hot coals and being burned alive, as they did to witches back in the olden days, but she would not give Alecto the satisfaction of making a sound. The fiery sensation turned to ice as Alecto continued the curse, not wanted to let up until she had Ginny screaming and crying on the floor of the classroom. Of course, this was a problem as both of them were too stubborn to do give in. The pain was getting worse for Ginny. She felt like there were needles being poked repeatedly into her eyeballs and that a rope was being tied around her neck. She was choking. She coughed and sputtered, pulling at a rope that was not there.

"That's enough, Alecto!"

The curse instantly lifted and Ginny lay panting on the floor as Draco rushed to her side.

"As you can see, Severus, I was just attempting to teach a naughty student a lesson."

"What I see is you cursing one of your own," replied Snape. Ginny had never heard him sound so menacing. Draco helped her to her feet and wouldn't let go of her hand.

"I beg your pardon?"

Snape walked to Ginny and lifted the sleeve of her robe to reveal the Dark Mark. "I said that all I see is you cursing one of your own."

"B-but she's a Gryffindor, I mean, how was I supposed to know...the Dark Lord never told me," stammered Professor Carrow, staring at Ginny's arm.

"Maybe you're not as high up in his ranks as you think you are, Professor," spat Ginny, pulling her sleeve back down.

Alecto looked ashamed. "I am sorry, Severus, if I had known—"

"Shouldn't you be apologizing to me?" Ginny interrupted.

Alecto glared at Ginny and backed out of the room. She nodded at Snape and hurried off down the hall, no doubt to tell her brother the news.

Ginny turned to Snape. "Thank you. You showed up so quickly."

Snape shut the door. "You'd been alone with her for twenty minutes before Draco managed to get me down here."

"You mean she cursed me for _twenty minutes?_? I'm going to kill her!"

"I'm quite surprised you didn't faint, actually."

"Ginny's too stubborn to faint," said Draco, leading Ginny to a chair and sitting her down. He sat next to her.

Ginny smiled. "Now, what was it that you wanted to tell us?"

"I have information that you can relay to Lord Voldemort," said Snape frankly. "It's all we've been cleared by the Order to disclose at the moment, but I believe if you don't give him information soon, he will become angry."

"He's angry on a good day," Draco muttered.

Ginny told him to shut up.

"I've been told that Harry has returned to the country and is still travelling with Hermione Granger. Currently the whereabouts of Ron are undisclosed, but I gather that he is not in the company of Harry Potter—"

Ginny let out a small moan.

Snape looked at Draco quizzically.

"He was her first," was all that Draco said.

Snape nodded knowingly. He decided to ignore the situation. "Additionally, Harry has not made any progress in his discovery of horcruxes and doesn't know how to go about finding the rest of them."

"Is that all we've got?" Ginny asked in a small voice.

"For the moment," said Snape. "The Order relays information to me as it sees fit. We are entirely on their schedule."

"We better get this over with," said Ginny. She held out her wrist for Draco, who placed his fingers on the Dark Mark. Ginny nodded when she was finished thinking her thoughts to the Dark Lord.

"What about McGonagall?" asked Draco, linking hands with Ginny once again. He noticed that bruises were beginning to form from her encounter with Professor Carrow earlier in the morning.

Snape eyed their clasped hands. "_Professor _McGonagall," he corrected, "knows that she is going to have to leave the school sometime in the near future in order to save her life. She isn't particularly happy with the arrangement, but will comply. In order to fake her death we are going to have to weave an elaborate alternate reality in which you do kill Minerva. We will need to have witnesses, Draco. You are about to make many enemies in this community." He looked at Ginny. "Perhaps you should be the one to cast the Dark Mark when Draco does the deed."

"Actually cast it? Or cast it in the magic weave?"

"Actually cast it."

"My life just keeps getting better and better," Ginny groaned.

* * *

**Please keep reviewing-it really helps to know what you think of the story!**


	24. Death Comes to Hogwarts

Death Comes to Hogwarts

* * *

Ginny, Draco, and Professor Snape spent eleven days attempting to weave a lifelike and believable death for Professor McGonagall. It involved long hours in the Room of Requirement where they could conceal their true intentions from wary onlookers and Snape could tell interested parties that he was teaching Draco and Ginny curses that would be useful for their futures as loyal Death Eaters. Though Snape did teach the pair a few curses, ("all real Death Eaters should know these," he claimed), the majority of their time was spent integrating the details of McGonagall's death into the alternate reality that they were planning on releasing on day fourteen. The trio had decided that it would all be easier if McGonagall was 'disposed of' sooner rather than later. They didn't want the Dark Lord getting anxious.

Eleven days earlier, Ginny hadn't had any idea that weaving an alternate reality was even an option. She had never even heard of such sophisticated magic, but had chosen to believe Snape when he told her that it was easy enough to learn. The premise was simple, a combination between drawing and acting. Draco would perform the Avada Kedavra curse on a dummy that was provided by the Room of Requirement. Ginny and Snape would commit all the details of his act to memory, and then draw them into the weave with their wands. The weave would be stronger for having two people drawing the same actions into it. At the beginning, Ginny had trouble concentrating enough on the minor details of the actions to make the weave look believable, but she was getting the hang of it now. They had not yet asked McGonagall to the room to perform her own death. But that was about all they had left. Well, that and bringing McGonagall to the safety of Order Headquarters without anyone seeing her. The hard part came in bonding the weave to real time when it was ready to be implemented. Snape was planning on taking care of that part by himself. It was difficult because they were only planning on applying a partial-reality weave. This meant that the characters of Draco and Professor McGonagall would be fixed, but they would also have to be able to interact with the actual humans who were going to be present during the event in order to make the whole event more believable. Ginny wasn't required to have a character in the weave because she could very easily cast the Dark Mark right after the weave dissolved.

That is, if she could manage to perfect the spell. As it turned out she was having trouble convincing her wand to actually perform the spell when she practice it, and she kept receiving small burns on her hands and forearms from the angry sparks that her wand would emit instead.

"I'm so tired of trying to cast the bloody Dark Mark," Ginny fumed, frustrated after getting burnt again.

"Switch wands with Draco and try again," said Snape, paying very little attention to Ginny's frustration.

She put her wand down on a nearby table and caught Draco's as he tossed it to her. "Morsmordre!" said Ginny with a flourish of Draco's wand.

To her surprise, the Dark Mark emerged from the tip of the wand and could be seen hovering near the ceiling of the room.

"Good," said Snape, glancing up at the menacing symbol. "You'll just have to use Draco's wand for the spell. He can use yours to control his character in the weave."

Draco looked at him questioningly. "Control my character? I thought I just had to hide and watch what happens."

"No," replied Snape. "Your character is interactive. Though the actual killing part is set in stone, you may have to force your character to talk or say something to the people who are going to gather around. You can't just be silent and mechanical. That would be a dead giveaway."

"How's McGonagall going to control her character if she's in hiding at Headquarters?" Ginny asked.

"She won't be. We cannot relocate her until the alternate reality has been performed and is believed to be true." Snape sighed, as if he was tired of dealing with idiots.

Draco and Ginny stood side-by-side, watching Snape add more minor details to the weave. "What else can we do to help?" asked Ginny.

"You need to message the Dark Lord and tell her that Professor McGonagall will be dead within the week," said Snape, matter-of-factly.

Draco nodded and held out his wrist for Ginny. She raised her fingers to his wrist. He nodded, and she placed her fingers on his Dark Mark. _My lord, my task will be completed within the week, _thought Draco. He nodded at Ginny to remove her fingers.

"Anything else, Professor?" asked Ginny.

"Be ready to perform the weave in three days time. In the meanwhile, get out of my sight. I will take care of the rest. If you see Minerva, send her in my direction." Ginny nodded. "Discreetly," Snape added. "Don't let the Carrow's see her."

Ginny and Draco left Snape in the Room of Requirement to finish the weave. Feeling peckish, they headed for the Great Hall. The moment they walked in, Ginny knew that something was wrong. As had happened at the beginning of the year when she and Draco were pretending to date, people were whispering at them. And glaring.

Neville stormed up to the pair of them as they walked down the row between tables, heading for an empty spot at the Slytherin table. "Is it true?" he demanded.

"What?" Ginny asked, confused.

"I thought you were a member of the Order," he hissed angrily.

"Oh shit," Draco whispered under his breath.

"Uhm..." started Ginny.

Neville didn't give her a chance to finish her sentence. He reached for her arm and yanked up the sleeve of her robe. His eyes widened at the sight of the Dark Mark, wiggling and pitch black on the inside of Ginny's forearm. "How could you," he spat. Neville threw her arm back forcefully and stormed back to the Gryffindor table. His eyes had darkened, his brow was furrowed, and his normally pink cheeks had turned bright red.

Ginny had never seen him so angry.

She made to go after him. She wanted to say something, anything, so that he would stop glaring at her the way he was, between the heads of Seamus and Dean. She could tell that he was telling them what he'd seen.

Draco grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the Slytherin table. "You knew that this was coming," he hissed under his breath. "Ever since Ron."

Ginny gulped audibly, but sat down where Draco put her.

He could see that her eyes were threatening to spill over. "You've got to hold it together, Ginny. They are all going to forgive you when this war is over, but right now, you are their sworn enemy. You've got to act like it. For all intents and purposes, you _are_ a Death Eater."

Ginny nodded miserably and picked at the food that had appeared on her plate.

Draco was worried about Ginny. Every time she had any contact with Voldemort or realized that she was having no contact with anyone in the Order or in her family, she sunk into a deep depression. He knew that she had it in her to be a fantastic Death Eater spy, but she seemed to lose all motivation the moment that anything unfortunate happened. He knew that she felt that this was all a mistake. They were making no progress; Voldemort had not called them back to Malfoy Manor and therefore they had no new information to give to the Order about his plans. Ginny was giving Voldemort more information than she was receiving, and he knew that she was losing hope for being able to help Harry. Draco hoped that for once Harry would be smarter than he looked and find all of Voldemort's horcruxes and then come kill Voldemort. He hated not being able to make Ginny feel better about her situation.

He looked at Ginny who was still staring into her plate. He reached his hand to hers and gave it a squeeze. "Come on, love. Let's get out of here." He stood up and Ginny followed suit, looking shamefully at her feet.

Draco grabbed her hand. "Be confident. You don't care what anyone thinks about you. You are your own person and no one gets to tell you what to do. You are going to be the one to give the Order a crucial piece of information that will bring down You-Know-Who," he whispered, trying to make her at least stop looking at her feet.

Ginny squeezed Draco's hand. "Thanks."

They strolled out of the Great Hall, ignoring the angry looks coming from the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw tables. Ginny didn't see them. She was too busy imagining the downfall of Lord Voldemort and the fact that she would be a free woman again after his death.

* * *

Three Days Later

* * *

Ginny was in position, leaning up against the wall across from Professor McGonagall's office, pretending to chat with Draco's character from the weave, who was looking especially Slytherin-like. Professor Snape was hidden somewhere nearby with Draco to control the situation. The weave was in place. Everything would start as soon as class let out for the day. Ginny could feel her heart thumping in her chest.

Three. Two. One.

Students filled the halls, few of them giving Draco and Ginny a second look. Professor McGonagall strode into the hallway after her classroom emptied, as usual, looking for troublemakers using magic or roughhousing in the corridor. That was their cue.

"I hate people who think they can help Potter," said Draco loudly.

"Bloody muggle-lovers, the lot of them," sneered Ginny.

"They reek of muggles and poor magic. They don't deserve to be allowed into Hogwarts."

"Oy! Shut up, yeah?" shouted a Gryffindor fifth year. "The only ones who don't deserve to be at Hogwarts are people like you."

"You dare talk to him like that?" asked Ginny, raising her voice.

The boy backed down.

"That's what I thought," said Ginny gleefully.

"You're a half-blood, right?" Draco addressed the same boy. By now the students in the hallway had all frozen and were watching the scene play out before them. "The Dark Lord could use more half-bloods. Likes to play with them before his meals," he laughed.

"Enough!" cried Professor McGonagall, wading through the sea of students into the corridor.

"This doesn't concern you, Professor," Draco snarled.

"The harassment of students does very well concern me, Mister Malfoy," she said. "And I will not permit it to take place at this school."

"I think this school has had enough of you," he growled.

"Deten—"

"Avada Kedavra!" Draco shouted.

Pandemonium broke out. Some students fell flat to the floor while other whipped out their wands and cast shield charms around themselves. Professor McGonagall crumpled to the floor.

"Morsmordre!" Ginny raised Draco's wand.

The Dark Mark did not help the mayhem in the corridor. Students screamed and ran. A couple Slytherins who happened to be present decided to join in on the fun and chased students down the hall, throwing curses at their backs. The Carrows ran towards the scene of the crime, unable to stop themselves from sneering when they saw McGonagall's lifeless body lying on the floor. Snape suddenly appeared as well, and lit the body on fire.

Ginny felt sick, trying to keep a smile on her face while looking at the scene of utter carnage in front of her, and the gleeful Slytherins. She felt Draco's hand slip into hers and held on to it with all her might.

* * *

**Thanks you for reviewing and please review again! Or start reviewing now! I'd love feedback.**


	25. Going Wrong

Going Wrong

* * *

Ginny knew that something was going to go wrong. She couldn't explain how she knew, but as she gripped Draco's hand and watched Professor McGonagall's body burn, something felt off. Students were still screaming and running through the hallway, one tried to put out the fire that was engulfing McGonagall and another tried to curse Draco, who quickly put up a shield charm around both of them. The Carrows were surveying the scene with satisfaction. Snape had disappeared.

This was the part of the plan that Ginny was worried about. The body that was burning in front of the Carrows was not, in fact, Professor McGonagall's body. Snape and McGonagall had worked together to do some sort of complicated transfiguration to create a human body out of nothing. The fire that Snape had cast would then reduce the body to a very small pile of ash, which Ginny would then sweep up when the crowds had left the hall. They were banking on the fact that the Carrows would get tired of the crowds of students and clear the hallway, preferring to watch McGonagall's body suffer in peace.

Draco squeezed Ginny's hand and sneered as another student tried to launch a curse at them. It merely bounced off the shield that Draco had cast and the student had to dive out of its way as the curse rebounded back at his face.

"Why aren't they clearing people out yet?" murmured Ginny.

"They will do it eventually. We just need to make sure that they stay here long enough for Snape and McGonagall to get away."

Snape had been very vague when describing the remainder of the plan to Draco and Ginny. He said that, for safety's sake, they didn't need to know the whole thing and that they should just 'bugger off.' He had conceded that they were not flying by broomstick, and Draco and Ginny could reasonably cross floo powder off the list due to the fact that all floo networks were being monitored by both the ministry and the Death Eaters. They doubted that Snape would be apparating, for that could put the location of Headquarters at risk. Ginny was flummoxed.

They stared at the scene. McGonagall's body was now beginning to lose form and her edges were disintegrating.

"Get out!" shouted Alecto Carrow suddenly.

Students turned to stare at her. The fire crackled happily in the background and McGonagall's body began to fall apart even faster.

"I said, GET OUT!"

Students ran.

"Oh no," Ginny moaned.

Amycus was heading towards the body, pulling his wand out of his pocket as he neared.

"You have to stop him!" whispered Ginny. "He's going to know it's not a real body!"

Draco lowered his shield. "You don't trust my abilities, Amycus?" he asked, walking forwards.

Amycus paused and stared at Draco.

"I'm confirming death."

"You think I'm dumb enough that I can't use the Killing Curse correctly?" Draco spoke slowly, menacingly. "As I recall you and your sister were not loyal to the Dark Lord during his fallen years. My family was faithful throughout. How dare you even think that I cannot do my job properly?"

"I meant no dishonor, Draco. I simply meant to check on the status of our dear professor and congratulate you on a job well done."

"That will not be necessary. My father will hear about your doubts. And you can guarantee that the Dark Lord will hear about them as well."

"I'm sure that the Dark Lord would want verification of a death." Amycus looked strained. His eyes were tired of arguing but his mind was telling him that he must check on the status of McGonagall.

Ginny realized she was holding her breath. She stepped forwards, coming to stand by Draco's side. "The Dark Lord has other ways of verifying death, Amycus. He doesn't need some besotted pup to do it for him."

Amycus snarled. "I am a true follower and a trusted Death Eater."

"Bollocks," said Ginny, her eyes flashing to the now almost entirely decomposed body of McGonagall. "Draco's already proven that both you and your sister were less than faithful to the Dark Lord."

At this comment, Alecto puffed her chest up and walked until she was standing less than an arm's length away from Ginny, staring at her in the eye. "You may be one of us, Weasley, but that doesn't mean you can insult our honor and commitment to the cause."

Ginny snorted, unwittingly spraying Alecto with tiny bits of mucus. "What commitment? I haven't seen you do a single thing besides torture students. And that's probably not the most helpful thing you could be doing for our cause."

"You insolent, cheeky—"

"Yes, yes. I've heard it all before. No need for you to run out of breath again. Why don't you and your brother move along and find something useful to do for the Dark Lord. Draco and I have our own orders to follow."

"We'll be watching you," Alecto spat as she turned to leave.

"Very sneakily, I'm sure," said Ginny sarcastically.

Alecto grabbed her brother's arm and pulled him away from Draco and McGonagall's body. They stalked off down the hall, Alecto obviously seething and her brother attempting to comfort her hurt pride.

"That was close," Ginny said shakily. "I sure hope Snape's out of the building by now."

"We just bought him at least ten minutes. He's definitely long gone." Draco stared at the small pile of ash on the floor. "Do you have the vial?"

Ginny nodded and took a small potions vial out of her pocket. There wasn't a surefire way to get rid of the remains, so Snape, Ginny, and Draco had decided to put the ash in a vial and deliver it to the Order for safekeeping as soon as possible. They couldn't afford the possibility of a Death Eater getting their hands on the vial and having someone realize that McGonagall isn't actually dead. Draco spelled the ash into the vial. Ginny popped in a cork and placed the vial back into her pocket, planning on giving it to Snape after he returned.

"I'm sure he already knows, but we should inform the Dark Lord of your success," said Ginny.

Draco rolled up his sleeve and Ginny completed the ritual that was becoming all too familiar. Right as Ginny let go, as if on cue, their Dark Marks began to burn and writhe simultaneously.

Ginny grimaced and laughed nervously. "He's just going to congratulate you, right?"

Draco frowned. "We need to bring the vial to the Room of Requirement before we leave. He can't get his hands on it."

Ginny nodded. "I'll run and do that. I'll meet you in the entrance hall in five minutes." She leaned up to Draco and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

* * *

Draco and Ginny arrived at Malfoy Manor in a tangle of arms and legs. Ginny fell to the floor, crying out in agony. Draco landed on all fours, his hands covered with blood. Something had gone terribly wrong. Malfoy had been flustered when the apparated out of Hogsmeade. He was distracted. He kept thinking that somehow this whole situation didn't seem right. Voldemort shouldn't need to see them. Draco looked at his hands, dazed at the amount of blood he was seeing, but he didn't feel any pain. He said Ginny's name. He didn't hear anything. He looked around and saw Ginny lying on the floor behind him, blood gushing out of her shoulder, crying and trying hopelessly with her good hand to stop the bleeding.

They had splinched. Or rather, Draco had splinched Ginny.

He crawled over to her, trying to ignore the fact that he couldn't hear her sobs. "It's okay," he tried to say, but no sound emerged. Or if it did, Draco couldn't hear it.

"Help me!" cried Ginny to Draco's deaf ears.

He couldn't tell what she was saying but he understood that Ginny was losing a lot of blood and was going to pass out and maybe even die soon if he didn't stop the bleeding.

"Vulnera Sanentur!" Draco tried to cast a spell that would stop Ginny's bleeding. He couldn't hear himself say it, but it had worked. The bleeding slowed to a trickle. "Tergeo," said Draco, cleaning some of the blood away from Ginny's shoulder. He bent over to feel the freshly made skin that was just barely holding together the gash in Ginny's shoulder. "I'm going to make you a sling," he told her, "and a bandage, just in case it reopens."

Ginny nodded and said what Draco thought was "thank you." He stood up and walked to his bathroom. While washing Ginny's blood off his hands, he stared at his face in the mirror. He said his name. He heard nothing. He said Ginny's name. Again he heard nothing. He shouted. He thumped his fists on the countertop. Nothing. He was in the middle of a long rant about how he should've asked the Sorting Hat to not put him in Slytherin when he noticed Ginny's tear-streaked face peering at him worriedly from behind the bathroom door.

She was cradling her hurt arm, but the bleeding had not resumed and the tears had stopped. "Draco, are you okay?"

He shook his head. "I can't hear you. I must have splinched my eardrum as well as your arm." He angrily pounded his fist into the mirror, shattering it and splitting open his knuckles.

Ginny used her good arm to lead him out of the bathroom. He sat numbly on the carpet while Ginny tenderly picked bits of mirror out of his skin and wiped away the blood. She had to fix this. If there was a broken or missing eardrum, she assumed that there might be internal bleeding, which maybe was stopping him from hearing. "Vulnera Sanentur," she said, pointing her wand at Draco's face. "Anything?" she asked.

"I can't hear you," Draco said. "I'm sorry, Ginny."

She gave him a tender kiss on the lips, trying to say that she forgave him without actually using any words. Her eyes fluttered back open and she stood up. Ginny pointed to her arm and mimed a sling. Draco got the message. "I'll make you one now." He walked to his closet and pulled out a green pillowcase, which he then proceeded to tear into pieces. He wrapped the scraps around Ginny until her arm was held snugly in place and her shoulder seemed quite unlikely to move.

"What about my ears?" asked Draco. His voice sounded a little shrill, as if he was nearing panic stage.

Ginny started to say something, realized that Draco wouldn't be able to hear her, and pointed to her Dark Mark.

"Ask You-Know-Who?" Draco paled.

Ginny nodded. She flicked her eyes towards the door.

Draco reached for Ginny's good arm. "Let's see what he has in store for us." He did not voice the nagging thought that it definitely wasn't going to be anything good.

* * *

**Thank you all for reviewing! I hope you love and review this chapter too!**


	26. Traitors

Traitors

* * *

Draco followed Ginny down the main staircase and through many rooms and hallways until they were once again standing in the doorway of the Malfoy's fancy dining room. Neither of them wanted to be the one to open the door and therefore be the first to face Voldemort. Ginny turned to look at Draco, her eyes catching his. Hers fluttered closed as she leaned forward and captured Draco's lips with her own. It was brief but tender. She whispered into his ear, feeling brave because she knew that he wouldn't be able to hear her. "I love you, Draco."

Draco raised an eyebrow and looked at her. "You know I can't hear you."

Ginny shrugged and turned back to face the door. She was just reaching for the doorknob when the double doors flew open with the force of a tornado. Timidly, she stepped inside, Draco following right behind her.

"I hear that you've completed your quest, Draco." Lord Voldemort sat at the head of the table today, alone. Draco's father and mother were nowhere to be seen and the usual Death Eaters must have been going about their daily Death Eater duties, for there was no sign of them.

Draco stared at him.

"My lord," interrupted Ginny, "Draco and I have had an accident. He can't hear you."

"Of course he can, silly girl." Voldemort's long fingers gripped the arms of his chair tightly. "He just cannot hear you."

Ginny gaped at him. "My lord, I don't think I've explained properly. We splinched when we were apparating here. Draco's ears have been affected."

"Don't recognize dark magic when you see it?"

"I'm sorry?"

"Well you wouldn't. You've only been with us for about a couple of months now. I thought that Snape was trying to teach you something, but I must have been mistaken." Voldemort made a noise that sounded like 'tsk, tsk.'

"I'm sorry, my lord. I don't understand."

"Tell her, Draco. Surely you must have recognized all the symptoms by now."

Ginny turned, open mouthed, to where Draco was standing. "Tell me what?"

"Now, now, Ginny. He can't hear you." Voldemort turned his gaze to Draco. "Tell her. Tell her how I know that you are both traitors."

"Traitors?" Ginny asked shrilly.

"Do you not have ears, girl?" hissed Voldemort.

"I'm sorry, my lord. I was simply taken by surprise at this accusation."

Draco stepped forward and sat down in a chair at the table without permission. "It is old magic," he began.

Ginny moved to sit across from him but Voldemort flung out his hand to stop her, hitting her in the stomach. "You will stand in my presence." He looked back to Draco. "Continue."

Draco cleared his throat. "Like I said, it's old magic. I don't know quite when it started. Back before my grandfather's time…and before his grandfather too. In fact, I'm sure that it began somewhere around the time when Salazar Slytherin was in his prime. It's a simple spell, but not many people know how to perform it properly. I don't. My father doesn't. The only person I know of who knows how to use this spell is the Dark Lord. Maybe Salazar Slytherin passed it down through his descendents. I don't really know any of the details." Draco looked sick.

Ginny felt sick.

Voldemort looked like a five year old whose birthday had just come early. "Tell her what the spell does."

"It's sort of like a tracking spell. It doesn't watch movements or actions, but more like emotions and the feelings behind thoughts. It basically detects deception, through the feelings of the person who it is cast upon. I'm not sure how it works, but after it's been cast, and if it detects you doing something wrong, or feeling wrong about something, it causes some symptoms. The main one is distraction. It causes minds to go sort of fuzzy when someone is trying to do something important."

"Say, for instance, trying to apparate," interjected Voldemort.

Ginny shook her head. "We splinched, my lord. There was no distraction involved. It was just an accident."

"It's more than that, Ginny," sneered Voldemort. "Go on, Draco. Tell her the rest. Or would you like me to do the honors?"

"We didn't splinch in the normal way, Ginny. I had been distracted. I didn't see it before; I was too worried about you."

"What do you mean?" Ginny asked, forgetting again that Draco couldn't hear her.

"I had thought that we just splinched. It made sense for you. There was blood everywhere. For me though, there was no blood, just a sudden loss of all hearing. With splinching, there's always blood. That should have been my first clue. And the fact that I suddenly couldn't hear anything at all. With the exception of one person's voice. I can hear everything that the Dark Lord is saying, but I can't hear you Ginny."

Ginny shook her head. "So what? He's just really powerful."

Voldemort laughed. "I am the most powerful wizard that you will ever meet, Ginny. But once someone is truly deaf, they wouldn't be able to hear even me." He waved his wand at Draco. "Can you still hear me, Draco?"

Draco nodded.

"And can you hear Ginny?" He turned his wand on Ginny and whispered the one word that Ginny had been worrying about for the duration of this entire encounter, "crucio."

Ginny screamed. She hadn't been expecting the pain and she couldn't restrain her voice. She could feel the fresh skin of her shoulder break and the blood beginning to flow over her arm.

"Stop it!" shouted Draco.

Voldemort didn't let up. He almost smiled as he twisted his wand in a way that directed more energy to Ginny's already painful shoulder. Her screams got louder and her tears were tracing smooth paths down her cheeks.

"Stop it! You win, alright? You win! Leave her alone."

Voldemort lowered his wand and Draco ran to Ginny's side, grabbing the tablecloth to use to stop all the bleeding. Draco cradled Ginny's body, holding the cloth to her shoulder with all the strength he could muster, knowing that he was causing her more pain, but wanting to stop her from bleeding anymore. He cut a fresh piece of cloth with his wand and magically taped it into place over her shoulder. "I'm going to protect you, Ginny Weasley," he whispered into her hair.

"Isn't this sweet," drawled Voldemort. "The proud son of the Death Eaters has gone and fallen in love with a blood traitor."

Draco helped Ginny to her feet. She was having trouble standing on her own and kept looking at the puddle of her own blood that was beginning to congeal on the floor. It made her feel more than a little nauseated.

"So you admit to me that both of you are traitors, yet you expect me to let you go waltzing out of the house and into safety?" Voldemort glared at them. "Not likely to happen, I don't think."

"It's your fault, you know," cried Ginny. "You're just a little too quick to trust an outsider."

Voldemort snorted. He looked angry enough to start breathing fire. "You're a worthless Death Eater," he snapped. "Never giving me any information that's the least bit worthwhile, but always fawning over me in my presence. And causing disturbances among the faithful Death Eaters I have in place at Hogwarts."

"You still trusted me," said Ginny.

"No," breathed Voldemort. "I don't think that's quite true. I now have you right where I want you, Ginny Weasley." His eyes flashed to her wrist, where, hidden under her cloak, was a very painful Dark Mark. "I can make you do anything I want you to do."

"I won't do anything," said Ginny defiantly.

"And you," Voldemort continued, looking towards Draco and ignoring Ginny completely, "your father is going to be very displeased with you."

"As it happens, I am very displeased with my father," said Draco.

"Lucius!" called Voldemort.

Draco's father emerged from a side door to the dining room. He was obviously quite angry. He'd heard everything.

"Bring them to the dungeons. I have uses for them yet."

"Yes, my lord."

"Oh, and Lucius?"

Lucius looked up at Voldemort.

"Take their wands. And snap them."

He smiled evilly. "With pleasure, my lord."

* * *

**Thanks for reviewing! Please review some more!**


	27. Friends

Friends

* * *

Draco and Ginny were escorted roughly into the basement of the Malfoy Manor. Lucius summoned each of their wands and took a sick pleasure in snapping the beautiful wooden structures in half. He then shoved then through a solid iron door and slammed it shut in their faces.

Ginny turned to Draco, her eyes searching to find his face in the dark. "Know a way to get out of this mess?" she asked with a strangled sob.

"I've never been down here before," Draco replied, groping in the dark to find Ginny's hand. "I knew that Father kept people down here whenever the Dark Lord asked him to, but I've never had any reason to come down here myself."

"I'm assuming we're not going to be lucky enough to stumble upon an exit?"

"I highly doubt it." Draco squeezed Ginny's hand and they started to head down the stairs, feeling the way forward with the tips of their toes before taking a definitive step downwards. It got slightly lighter as they reached the bottom of the staircase; Lucius had to install some sort of barred window to provide clean oxygen for his captives.

Ginny let go of Draco's hand and began to feel her way around the confines of the dungeon, waiting for her eyes to get used to the dim light being provided by one solitary window. The walls were grimy and slightly damp, the room was cold, but that didn't stop Ginny from wanting to determine the precise dimensions of their prison. "He doesn't kill people down here, does he?" she asked as her fingers encountered a wet, sticky substance.

"Not that I know of," said Draco. "You know he likes to play with people before disposing of them."

Ginny grimaced. "You don't have to make it sound so crude."

"It is crude." Draco had not bothered to follow Ginny on her mission around the room and instead was leaning up against the wall next to the staircase. He had no desire to know how small of a room they were trapped in. He was more focused on the potential for escape than getting to know his surroundings.

"Uh Draco?" Ginny's voice was wavering.

"Hmm?"

"I think I've found somebody."

Draco could make out Ginny's form, only about four meters away from where he was standing. She was hunched over a black mass on the floor. "Who is it?"

"I don't know." Ginny was feeling the body for a pulse. The body was still warm, and hopefully the person hadn't just died. Ginny found the body's neck and placed two fingers on the side of the neck beneath the jaw. "They're alive!" She shook the body. "Wake up! Please wake up."

"Who is it?" asked Draco again.

"I still don't know. She won't wake up."

Draco walked over to where he thought Ginny was standing. "Here, let me help."

Ginny moved to the other side of the body and grabbed the hand that was lying limply on the floor. "I know this person!" she exclaimed.

Draco was bent over the person, trying to figure out why they weren't waking up. "Yeah?"

"I think its Luna Lovegood. She's wearing a ring that feels really odd and familiar to me. Kind of like a turnip. You know how Luna is into stuff like that…"

Draco didn't reply. He was whispering under his breath. "What could they have done to you?"

Ginny was still holding on to Luna's hand. "We've got to wake her up. What if she's hurt?"

"You're hurt," replied Draco.

Ginny noticed that her shoulder was still throbbing, but when she raised her hand to touch it, she didn't feel any blood on the makeshift sling that Draco had designed. She could however, feel the deep burning in her shoulder caused by the dark magic that Voldemort had cast upon both her and Draco. "I don't matter. I'm not even in pain right now," Ginny lied. "She's the one who isn't waking up."

"I don't know what's wrong with her. She's definitely not sleeping," said Draco. "I think she's unconscious. Without a wand there isn't anything I can do. We're just going to have to wait until she wakes up."

Ginny sighed, holding tightly onto Luna's hand. "Why did I ever think this was a good idea?" she asked.

"You wanted to help, Ginny! You did the right thing, and it's going to end up alright. I'm going to find us a way out of here," said Draco with very little persuasion in his voice.

"How? We're totally screwed. I've alienated my family and friends and I haven't even managed to get on the good side of You-Know-Who. And now I've got this stupid Dark Mark that will stay on my arm until You-Know-Who gets killed and all his dark magic evaporates with his death. We are going to die and it's entirely my fault. I got you involved with this. I'm so stupid," Ginny ranted passionately.

"They are _not_ going to kill us," said Draco, moving over to sit against the wall next to Ginny.

"They are. You- Know-Who knows that we are spies."

"No. They need us. We can be bait or something. They won't kill us. At least not yet." Draco put his arm around Ginny's back and she leaned into his shoulder, not letting go of Luna's hand.

"There's got to be a way out of here," she sighed, willing herself not to cry.

A figure stepped out of a shadowy corner. "I highly doubt that."

Draco stood up. "Who's there?"

An old man walked out of the shadows and into the small amount of light coming from the window. "My name is Mr. Ollivander."

"You're on the missing list," blurted Ginny.

"Indeed. I've been here in this dungeon for several months now."

"Are they treating you badly?" asked Ginny.

"Of course. I'm a prisoner." He looked at Draco who still seemed on edge. "May I sit with you, I'm an old man and Luna's my friend. I didn't realize they'd brought her back."

"What'd they do to her?" spat Draco.

"Draco, be nice to him. He sold me my wand. He's on our side." Ginny looked up at Ollivander. "Of course you can sit with us."

Ollivander's knees cracked as he sat down on the other side of Luna's body. "They've been torturing us regularly. Nothing out of the ordinary, just the Cruciatus Curse. They want information of course, but they'll never get anything out of Luna, and I don't have anything to tell. I think they're doing it mostly out of habit now."

Ginny grimaced. "How badly?"

"Hours on end. Almost every day."

"How long had they had Luna before they returned her?" she asked.

"She's been up there for hours. I must have fallen asleep—you learn to sleep whenever you can to help your body recuperate. There's no telling when the next time that they'll come for you is."

"Do they usually throw her down her unconscious?" asked Draco.

"No…no, I think that's new." Ollivander paused. "I'm ashamed to say that I was listening to your conversation earlier. You've gotten on You-Know-Who's bad side?"

"Yeah," said Draco, not planning on expanding.

Ollivander turned to Ginny questioningly.

"We've been stealing information and passing it to the Order."

Draco elbowed her side. "You don't need to tell him everything," he whispered.

"Not like it matters now anyways. We're stuck down here," she hissed back.

"The Order is thriving, then?" asked Ollivander.

"We don't know," replied Ginny. "We aren't allowed to hear much information because You-Know-Who might learn something from us."

"Oh. Right."

The three fell silent, not knowing what else to say to each other, each lost in their own thoughts. Ginny leaned her head back onto Draco's shoulder and Draco started absentmindedly playing with her hair. Ollivander seemed to have fallen asleep. Luna still wouldn't wake.

"If these have to be my last days," Ginny began, "I'm glad that I'm at least spending them with you."

Draco looked over at Ginny, noticing the shine in her eyes brought on by the moonlight now coming through the window. "We'll make a good pair yet," he said. "I won't allow anyone to die in these dungeons anytime soon."

"Draco, you don't have to play the hero part anymore. You already hold that place in my eyes. I'd rather you not risk your neck to maintain your high position."

Draco turned very serious. "I'd risk my neck a thousand times for you, Ginny Weasley." He looked at those shiny eyes. "I love you," he said quietly.

"I love you too, Draco." She turned her heard slightly so that his lips could reach hers, and they locked in a slow yet passionate embrace. Ginny broke away. "Draco! Look!"

Draco followed Ginny's line of sight to Luna's face. She seemed to be smiling.

"She squeezed my hand!" Ginny said excitedly. "Luna? Luna? Can you hear me?"

"Barely," came a whispered reply. "I feel like my head is full of nargles."

"Luna! You're alive!" whooped Ginny.

"Barely. How'd you get here?" she whispered.

"Long story."

"Ron told the Order that you guys are enemies now."

"Ron's full of crap," replied Ginny. "It was just a misunderstanding. Of course we're not enemies."

"He said that you have the Dark Mark."

"I do. But I can explain."

"You don't have to," replied Luna, struggling to sit up. "If you're down here then you're obviously not friends with You-Know-Who."

"Of course not," said Ginny. "I'm so glad you're awake!"

"Thanks," said Luna. "You can let go of my hand now, though."

* * *

**Thanks for all of your reviews. Please keep reading and reviewing :)**


	28. Thanks to Dobby

Thanks to Dobby

* * *

Draco, Ginny, and Luna soon found that they had very little to say to each other. Mr. Ollivander was still sleeping when they fell silent. They had discusses Luna's torture and how the Death Eaters had captured her, they discussed her reaction to finding out that Mr. Ollivander had been contained within the dungeon for at least a month before she arrived, they told her about Harry, Hermione, and Ron leaving Hogwarts in search of a way to defeat the Dark Lord and how they had each become a spy for the Order but hadn't been able to find out much useful information. The only things they didn't mention were the loyalty of Severus Snape and the torture of Ron Weasley. Draco hadn't wanted Ginny to tell Luna the whole story, but Ginny had insisted, and her mood did seem to be slightly lighter once she had let it all out.

"Maybe we should try to get some sleep," said Draco. "I'm sure they're going to start in on us in the morning."

"I thought you said they needed us!" replied Ginny.

"Just because they need us doesn't mean we can't be beat up a bit. They think that we know things. They know that we're working for the Order. I'm sure they're going to try anything they can think of to get information out of us."

"But we don't have any information," said Ginny. "The Order's been keeping us in the dark."

"We know the location of Headquarters."

Ginny was silent.

"Promise me, no matter what they threaten to do to me or Luna or anyone else…promise me that you will not give that information up."

"They wouldn't hurt you," breathed Ginny. "You're their son. Your own father? It's not possible. I won't promise because I won't be put in that situation."

"Please, Ginny. Just in case," Draco pleaded.

"No."

"For me?"

Ginny was silent for a moment. "I won't give up any vital information about the Order. But if it is a choice between a scrap of information and your life, I will give them the scrap of information. I'm not going to lose you, Draco." Her eyes were starting to tear up.

Draco reached for her hands and pulled her into him. "You're not going to lose me," he murmured.

Ginny breathed deeply, taking in the scent of Draco and refusing to allow a tear to fall onto his shoulder. She had not expected it to end like this, trapped in a cellar, waiting for torture and death.

"You guys are sweet," said Luna, who had been listening to the whole encounter from where she was leaning against a wall. "I hope you don't die."

Draco stared at her.

Ginny giggled halfheartedly. "Thanks, Luna. I hope you don't die either," she said, used to Luna's rather strange way of conveying her thoughts.

"It would be hard, if I did. You know, my mother died when I was younger. She was experimenting. I saw it happen."

"Oh, I didn't know that," said Ginny. "I'm sorry."

"But if I have to go, I'm going to die defending what I believe in. And I believe in Harry Potter. He can see them too, you know."

"See what, Luna?"

Before Luna could answer, they heard footsteps approaching the dungeon door. They were shuffling slowly, but they soon heard the sound of a lock being inserted into the door and the jingle of the keys as the lock was opened. Ginny and Draco scrambled away from the staircase and joined Luna by the wall, wanting to be as far away as possible from the person coming down the stairs. The figure didn't say anything as he entered the room. He simply bent over and placed a tray on the floor. Draco noticed a flash of silver as the figure was standing back up.

"It's Peter Pettigrew," he whispered to Ginny after the figure had retreated up the stairs and locked the door behind him. "He's You-Know-Who's right hand man."

"He's the one who brings us food and escorts us upstairs when they want us," said Luna.

"Sounds like him," said Draco. "He's a servant."

Ginny stood up and walked towards the food that was probably going to be their only meal of the day. She brought the tray back to where Luna and Draco were sitting, and placed one bowl next to where Mr. Ollivander was sleeping. "Do you think I should wake him up?"

"Yes," said Luna. "Mr. Ollivander grows weaker and weaker every day. He needs to eat."

Ginny shook his shoulder. "Mr. Ollivander? It's suppertime."

Ollivander groaned and rolled over. Ginny helped him into a sitting position. "Thank you," he said.

Ginny retreated to her spot against the wall and took one of the bowls for herself. It was full of cold, sticky oatmeal with no milk or brown sugar to make it taste remotely like she thought oatmeal should taste. Nevertheless, she gulped it down, realizing after taking one bite that she was actually starving.

"What do we do now?" asked Ginny, once Draco and Luna had finished their bowls as well.

"I fill the time counting nargles," offered Luna.

"Brilliant," said Draco sarcastically.

"Maybe we should just sleep." Ginny lay down on the floor, trying to pretend that the concrete floor was actually a feather bed. Draco followed suit, spooning Ginny's body and letting her rest her head on his outstretched arm. "Thanks, Draco."

"Anytime."

While Draco and Ginny were sleeping, Luna was taken upstairs for more questioning. Neither of them noticed the jingle of the keys or Peter Pettigrew's harsh voice as he grabbed Luna by the arm and marched her upstairs. They were simply too tired after the day's events, and Ginny was trying to sleep off the pain of her shoulder.

When Luna was returned to the cellar, Ginny and Draco were waiting at the bottom of the stairs to catch her and help her back to her place against the wall. She had several small cuts and scrapes on her face and her palms looked as if she had taken a severe fall. "How are you doing, Luna?" asked Ginny, concerned.

"Oh I'm fine, really. It doesn't bother me anymore." She winced as she put weight on her left foot.

"Is there anything we can do for you?"

"No. Really, I'm fine," said Luna.

Ginny knew she was lying but didn't know how to make Luna more comfortable. They were in a freezing cold, empty dungeon with no resources. "Here," she said, sitting down with her back against the wall. "Put your head in my lap. The least I can do is provide you with a pillow."

Draco helped Luna lie down and Luna arranged her head semi-comfortably in Ginny's lap. "Thanks," she said, closing her eyes as Ginny started stroking her hair.

* * *

"What's going on?" asked Luna, sitting up straight.

"We don't know. It's been going on for about half an hour now," said Ginny. The prisoners could hear muffled shouts coming through the ceilings and it sounded as if things were being thrown. There was one particularly shrill voice.

"That's Bellatrix," Draco said quietly.

There were several more yells, a loud thump, and the signature shuffling of feet and jangling of keys that signified someone coming to the door of the cellar.

"Draco Malfoy, come to the top of the stairs," called Peter.

Draco stood up and made to do as he was told, but was stopped when Ginny's hand suddenly clasped his. "Be careful," she whispered, standing up to look him in the eyes. "Please be careful, my love."

Draco didn't say anything, but kissed Ginny tenderly on the forehead and made for the staircase.

Ginny strained to make out Draco's voice through the thick concrete stones that made up the ceiling. She started pacing until Luna grabbed her hand and brought her to their place on the wall. "He will be okay," said Luna. "The first time is only a test."

They heard a loud scream from above. Ginny shot up and listened for more voices. "You don't think-?" she asked, getting choked up.

"It's not him, Ginny," soothed Luna. "I heard you guys talking earlier. He's not going to leave you without a fight."

Ginny managed a small smile. "Yeah, he wouldn't do that to me," she said, trying to persuade herself of the statement's truthfulness. They heard another loud shout followed by insane laughter. Ginny couldn't help but let a tear roll down her face. "They're going to kill him," she started to murmur, over and over. She was brought out of her trance-like state by a smack in the face delivered by Luna.

"Get a grip on yourself," said Luna. "You know how they are, and if they find you down here sobbing your eyes out, they're just going to hurt you more for your weakness."

"I am not weak!" Ginny hissed, rubbing tears of her face.

They heard another crash, a scream, and then the unlocking of the door.

Five figures were shoved into the dark and the door slammed behind them.

"Hello?" a wavering voice called.

"Ron?" Ginny called back.

The four figures stumbled into the dungeon, squinting in hopes of being able to see who else was in the dungeon with them. Ginny's eyes, already used to the dark, couldn't believe who she was seeing. There was Draco, already coming towards the sound of her voice, blood streaming out of his eyebrow and running down his face. Then there was Ron, Dean Thomas, and a bloated, disfigured figure that Ginny recognized at once as Harry. Standing slightly behind them was a Gringotts goblin.

Draco had reached Ginny. "What did they do to you?" she asked, taking off her robes and tearing a strip to use as a bandage for Draco's head.

"They wanted me for identification. I wouldn't tell them anything," he said, wiping blood off his face as if it was sweat.

"Sit down," Ginny instructed. "And stop touching your face!" She swatted his hands away long enough to tie a strip of robe around his head. She dropped to her knees in front of him and kissed him on his lips, disregarding the fact that they were still covered in blood. "I was so worried about you," she whispered, throwing her arms around his torso.

"I told you that you wouldn't lose me," he murmured. "It's still a promise."

Luna had brought Ron, Harry, and Dean over to her spot on the wall and Griphook had joined Mr. Ollivander. Ginny and Draco walked over to their schoolmates.

"Do they know that you're here, Harry?" she asked, looking at his swollen face with pity.

"Don't tell her anything," spat Ron. "She's a Death Eater. Probably down here to spy on us."

"Don't be thick, Ron," said Ginny. "I'm sorry about what happened—"

Ron snorted.

"But you have got to believe me that we are not on You-Know-Who's side."

"All I'm saying is that anyone who claims _not_ to be on You-Know-Who's side probably shouldn't go around torturing their relatives."

Luna and Dean gasped.

"I didn't have a choice," said Ginny through gritted teeth. "I'm sorry I hurt you, but holding a grudge against me right now is not going to help us get out of here."

They were interrupted by a long piercing scream followed by the sound of sobs.

"Who's that?" Ginny asked.

"It's Hermione," said Draco. "They've kept her for questioning."

"We need to get out of here now," said Ginny.

Harry's face was slowly returning to normal. He was clenching a glass shard, seemingly talking to it. "Please," he said.

Harry's pleas were immediately answered by a loud crack. Dobby had appeared out of thin air.

"I've come to aide Mr. Harry Potter," said Dobby, bowing low.

"Dobby, we've got to get out of here. Take Luna, Mr. Ollivander, and Dean to…"

"Shell Cottage," suggested Ron.

"Then come back and get the rest of us," said Harry.

"I would be honored," said Dobby. Luna, Dean, and Ollivander gathered around Dobby, who grabbed all of their hands and disappeared with a crack.

"Where did he come from?" asked Ginny.

"Sirius sent him," said Harry, still clenching the shard of glass.

"Sirius is dead."

"Then where did Dobby come from?"

Before Ginny could answer, they heard more shrieks and the sound of the key turning in the lock. "It'll be Pettigrew," she whispered. "We've got to stop him!"

Ron and Harry ran to the walls on either side of the staircase. Draco, Ginny, and Griphook stood within Peter's line of sight.

Right as Peter stepped across the threshold of the cellar, Harry and Ron attacked him and forced him to the ground. He was about to scream when his own hand raised itself to his throat and cut off his windpipe. Pettigrew was dead within a matter of seconds.

"We've got to get to Hermione," said Harry, not looking at the body on the floor in front of him.

"Let's move," said Draco. "Give me the wand."

"No way," said Ron.

"Fine. You curse all of the Death Eaters up there."

"I will, thanks," replied Ron.

Harry took the wand out of Ron's hands. "I'll do it."

The group silently climbed the stairs and followed the screams to their destination, a large ballroom on the first floor of Malfoy Manor. There were four Death Eaters, including Bellatrix, surrounding Hermione on the floor.

"I'll take Fenrir," whispered Draco.

"Bellatrix," said Harry.

"I've got Lucius," whispered Ginny, feeling very strong hatred for the man.

"I'll take the last," added Ron.

Griphook said nothing.

"And, go!" whispered Harry. "Expelliarmus!" he shouted, hoping to catch Bellatrix off guard. He was unsuccessful and had to dodge his rebounding spell.

Ginny had football tackled Lucius and had managed to send his wand flying. "You bastard!" she cried as she scratched at his face. Though Lucius was a skinny man, he was much bigger than Ginny and managed to pin her to the floor within a minute of being tackled.

"You will never win," he hissed, holding his forearm against her neck so she couldn't escape.

Draco had slightly better luck with Fenrir and managed to avoid being bitten, but Fenrir had him at wands end, waiting for a signal from Bellatrix.

Ron was nursing a split lip as he too faced the dangerous end of a wand.

Bellatrix was laughing. "And the ickle babies try to escape. What fun this is!"

"Let her go," shouted Ron, looking at Hermione.

There was a loud crack as Dobby entered the room. Several things happened at once. Bellatrix pushed her fingers into her Dark Mark. As she was distracted, Harry made a mad dash for Hermione and dragged her to Dobby's side. Ron kicked his adversary between the legs and dove to the floor in front of Dobby. Ginny stopped struggling against Lucius and reached down to where his robe had fallen between his legs, feeling six wands in his pocket. She leaned as far forward as she could and kissed Lucius straight on the lips, grabbing the wands at the same time and passing them to Draco, who was running by at the same moment, dodging stunning spells. As Lucius reeled back from being kissed by Ginny, she squirmed out from beneath his body and threw her hand towards Dobby's body.

Right as Dobby was disapparating, Bellatrix reached for a long, slender knife and threw it towards the crowd. They heard the remnants of her scream of anger as they disappeared from Malfoy Manor.

* * *

**Thanks for reading and reviewing! I'd love to hear what you think!**


	29. Shell Cottage

Shell Cottage

* * *

"You kissed my father?" asked Draco, simultaneously outraged and disgusted.

"I didn't have many other options," said Ginny. "And it worked didn't it?"

"But my father?" cried Draco.

"I'd rather it be him than Bellatrix," mumbled Ginny.

They had just landed on a sandy beach, courtesy of Dobby. Nearly everyone was bleeding. Blood was slowly trickling down Draco's face from the gash in his head, Ginny's healing shoulder had ripped open when she'd been pinned to the ground by Lucius, Hermione was a mess from Bellatrix's torture, and Harry was simply drenched in blood.

"No!" shouted Harry. "No, no, no, please no!"

The others ran up to Harry from where they had been thrown during their landing. Harry was cradling Dobby, holding his small body in his arms, crying profusely and begging Dobby to live.

Ginny realized that Bellatrix's knife had done the trick. No matter whom it had originally been intended for, it had hit a target and had destroyed one of their ranks. Ginny got close enough to hear Dobby's last words, "Dobby is happy to be with his friend Harry Potter." His giant green tennis ball eyes closed for the last time. Harry clutched his body, tears streaming down his face. Hermione moved behind him, putting an arm around his shoulders and also sobbing. Ron was comforting Hermione. Ginny and Draco stood back, feeling grateful that the elf had saved their lives, but not too torn up about it.

They turned to walk up the hill to Shell Cottage and were greeted by the sight of four figures running towards them, Bill and Fleur, Dean, and Luna.

"We have to bury him," said Harry hoarsely. He had stood up and was carrying Dobby towards the cottage. "We have to give him a proper funeral."

Everyone solemnly followed Harry up the hill, not knowing what to say. Luna placed a hand on his back as if to reassure him that they were all still there. Bill and Fleur looked on the procession with sad eyes.

Bill raised his wand to carve a grave for Dobby.

"No!" shouted Harry. "It has to be proper. I want to dig it."

Bill nodded his understanding and brought a shovel to Harry from a small shed on the side of the house.

Everyone watched silently as Harry dug, pausing occasionally to wipe sweat off his face. Dean and Ron got shovels for themselves when they realized that Harry was intent on digging the grave by hand. No one interacted with anyone else except when Fleur disappeared and reemerged from the house with an armful of clean rags and a bucket of soapy water for those who were injured.

Ginny silently cleaned the wound on Draco's face. Sand had gotten into the flesh and removing it was more easily said than done. Draco didn't stop gritting his teeth until Ginny had tied a new bandage around his head. He then repaid her favor by cleaning her shoulder and designing her another new sling. By that point Ron, Dean, and Harry had finished digging and Harry was lowering Dobby's body into the grave. He looked lost. Hermione walked up with a pair of socks and a hat that she had just conjured. She helped Harry dress Dobby.

Luna courageously walked up to the top of the grave. "Dobby," she began, "you were a gentle soul and you saved my life and the lives of all my friends. We will never forget what you have done for us." She grabbed a handful on sand and threw it over the body.

One by one, everybody watching picked up another handful of sand and cast it into the grave with their thanks. Finally, Bill picked up one of the shovels and began to fill the grave. Harry carved a gravestone with the epithet "Here Lies Dobby, A Free Elf."

Fleur ushered them all inside, preparing fresh lemonades and making sandwiches for anyone who wanted one. "It's a surprise to have you here, Ginny," she said when the two of them were alone in the kitchen. "After everything we've heard, I didn't think you'd ever be back with us."

"You've only heard one side of the story," said Ginny, slicing tomatoes for the sandwiches. "I'll explain everything when we're all in the same room." She paused. "How's Mum?"

"Distressed," said Fleur. "She thinks one of her children is a Death Eater, one runs around with Harry and no one ever knows where he is or if he's alive, Percy is still working for the Ministry, and Fred and George are full members of the Order. She worries."

"Oh, Mum," sighed Ginny, grabbing a plate of sandwiches and bringing them into the dining room where everyone was sitting in silence. She took a seat next to Draco. Fleur brought in the lemonade.

"So tell us Ginny," started Bill, "we normally wouldn't want Draco Malfoy to be sitting in our home. And Ron believes that you are a Death Eater. Care to explain?"

Ginny took a sip of her lemonade and decided on the whole truth. "It's sort of a long story," she said.

"We've got time," said Bill.

"Yeah," said Ron. "Explain to us why you've got the bloody Dark Mark and why it's suddenly okay for you to torture anyone you're told to."

Ginny took a deep breath. She started at the very beginning, with her mission for the Order: _Turn Draco Spy_. She moved on to learning that Draco had a mission of his own, to bring her to You-Know-Who to be used as bait for Harry Potter. She unapologetically told them why she had been so mean to Harry, that it was for his own good so that she couldn't be used against him, and how that she soon realized that Draco didn't want to be a part of the Death Eaters. She talked about how she had contacted Lupin and how she and Draco had decided that they were going to become spies for the Order. She said that the first time they had been called to Malfoy Manor she had freaked out but managed to ask You-Know-Who for the Dark Mark so that he would trust her. She quietly told them of how she was forced to torture Ron in order to prove her loyalty to the Death Eaters and how she, Draco, and Snape worked together to fake the death of Professor McGonagall. She mentioned that Lupin knew about all of her plans but that she had asked him not to tell to save her family from the pain that it would cause. She apologized for not being able to obtain as much information as she had hoped from You-Know-Who, and then she told them how it all went wrong and how she and Draco had ended up as prisoners.

Ginny took a deep breath and finished her lemonade. She had talked for over an hour. "I was trying to help the Order," she added lamely.

"May I see the Dark Mark?" asked Bill.

Ginny looked sideways at Draco, ashamed of the form that was tattooed to her forearm. "I guess," she said, and asked Draco to pull up her sleeve, as her injured arm was strapped into place by the sling.

The others crowded around the table to see Ginny's arm. "Can he hurt you through that?" asked Fleur.

Ginny nodded.

"You and Draco should stay here, where I can monitor your conditions, until we are reasonably assured that You-Know-Who will not use pain as a way to flush you out of hiding," said Fleur. "Bill and I will take good care of you."

"What?" said Ginny. "No! What about the horcruxes? I got this mark so that I could help the Order, and if I can't help by being in You-Know-Who's presence, then I am going to be out on the front lines, looking for a way to destroy him. I will not stay holed up where I can't do anything to help!"

"We've still got four horcruxes left to find," said Harry.

"How'd you find out how many he has?" asked Ginny.

"I went searching through Dumbledore's memories."

"Do you know what they are?" asked Draco.

"Are you serious?" shouted Ron. "They cannot be trusted. I don't care that she just told us some sob story about how she failed her mission. She has a _Dark Mark_! She works for _You-Know-Who!_"

"I don't think that's true, Harry," said a newcomer to the room.

"Lupin!" said Ginny. "It's so good to see you." She stood up to give him a one-armed hug.

"I have multiple reasons to believe that Ginny is not a Death Eater, Ron," said Lupin. "She and Draco are truly trying to help us."

Ron sputtered angrily. "But she _tortured_ me."

"You know what You-Know-Who is like, Ron. You've heard the stories from what happened before. Trust her. Spies work in both directions, not just his."

Ron didn't say anything.

"On a lighter note," began Lupin, "Tonks and I are going to have a baby!" There was a burst of noise as everyone simultaneously stood up to offer Lupin his or her congratulations. "Harry," said Lupin when the noise died down, "I'd be honored if you would be the godfather."

"I'd love to!" said Harry, smiling for the first time since Ginny had seen him.

Lupin beamed. "Now as for making plans," he said, turning suddenly serious.

"We need to find four more horcruxes. One of them is in Bellatrix's safe at Gringotts, I'm sure of it. Another is Nagini, You-Know-Who's snake. Of the other two, one of them is somehow connected to Ravenclaw. The last I'm not sure of."

"I can get into Bellatrix's safe," said Draco.

Griphook looked affronted. "No one can get into any safe that is not their own. Gringotts is the safest place in the world," he said smugly.

"That's why you're going to help us," said Draco.

"I've got one of Bellatrix's hairs," said Hermione, "from when she was torturing me. And I managed to get her wand."

"Perfect," said Harry. "Ginny will take Polyjuice Potion and Draco will escort her to Gringotts. Griphook, you'll help them get through the security measures."

"I want the sword."

"Excuse me?" said Harry.

"I want the sword of Gryffindor in return for my help."

Harry exchanged a significant look with both Ron and Hermione. "Fine," he said. "You'll get the sword after we get the horcrux."

"What exactly are we looking for, Harry?" asked Ginny.

"An item of Hufflepuff's. I think it'll be a cup of some sort. Silver."

"I know the one," said Draco. "It used to be displayed over our fireplace."

"Good. The rest of us will go to Hogwarts. You two," Harry said, pointing at Ginny and Draco, "will meet us there. We'll reconvene at Hogwarts to discuss what will happen next. Got it?"

"Tomorrow?" asked Ginny.

"Yes. Tomorrow, let's say ten o'clock in the Room of Requirement."

"Okay."

The group stood up as one. Fleur left the dining room to find pillows and blankets for everyone to sleep on. Lupin said his goodbyes and left the cottage, wanting to return home to care for his pregnant wife. Harry pulled Ginny away from the group.

"What is it, Harry?"

"You can't let Griphook get the sword," he whispered. "Bat-bogey him if you have to."

Ginny giggled. "Why?"

"It's the only thing we have that will destroy the horcruxes."

"Okay. I'll do my best. Do you want us to destroy the cup as soon as we find it?"

"Better not. I want to make sure it's the right thing first."

Ginny frowned. "We'll just bring it to you then." She paused. "I'll get the sword from you in the morning." She left Harry standing in the doorway and went to find Draco and her bed.

* * *

**Thanks for all the reviews! Keep me posted on what you think :)**


	30. Gringotts

Gringotts

* * *

Ginny and Draco slept on the floor of the dining room, along with Luna and Dean. Ron, Hermione, and Harry had all crammed onto a fold out couch in the sitting room, Ollivander took the bed in the guest bedroom, and Griphook claimed that he did not need to sleep. Ginny suspected that he was watching Harry sleep with the sword of Gryffindor to make sure that Harry wasn't going to try to steal away with the sword in the middle of the night. Goblins were inherently distrusting. The night passed quickly. With the exception of Griphook, everyone got an excellent night's sleep, happy to be safe in the home of family or friends and no longer hidden away in the basement of Malfoy Manor.

The morning arrived too soon. Fleur bustled about fixing breakfast for all her guests. Ollivander had decided to stay at Shell Cottage, (at Fleur's insistence), until he recovered fully enough to take care of himself in his own home. Dean and Luna were going to accompany Ron, Harry, and Hermione back to Hogwarts and start rallying the students to fight in the battle that now seemed to be bearing down on them. Ginny and Draco were preparing to apparate to Diagon Alley with Griphook to get into Bellatrix's safe.

"Everyone come!" hollered Fleur from the dining room. She'd squeezed several extra chairs around the dining table and had prepared fresh squeezed orange juice, tea, currant scones, sausage, and grilled tomatoes.

Ginny's mouth was watering as she sat down between Draco and Harry. Ron still wouldn't come anywhere near her, though he'd been assured that she was not a threat to his health or safety. "Thanks, Fleur," she said, loading some of everything onto her plate.

Breakfast was a silent affair, with Fleur leaving the table every ten minutes to check on Ollivander, who remained in his bed.

"You shouldn't leave here all at once," said Bill. "A group of five students suddenly showing up in Hogsmeade is bound to attract some unwanted attention."

"Good point," said Harry, mouth full of sausage.

"I'll go with Dean," said Luna. "That way you three can stay together."

"Thanks, Luna," said Hermione. "We'll go first."

"Good," said Bill. "Now that that's settled, we need to find you some Polyjuice Potion." He looked at Ginny.

"Yeah," she replied, "I don't want to take it until we get to Diagon Alley though. It only lasts an hour, right?"

"Yeah. I'll fill a flask for you," said Bill, pushing his chair back from the table and standing up.

As he left the room, Draco asked, "You just keep readymade Polyjuice Potion?"

"Everyone in the Order does," said Ginny. "It's a safety thing. If someone's coming, we can just throw in a hair and then we aren't members of the Order anymore."

"Whose hair do you use?"

"We all are required to have a stockpile of muggle hairs. Didn't you notice that there isn't much magic going on in this house? Fleur cooked everything by hand."

Draco nodded.

"It's 'cause she's gotten so used to pretending to be a muggle on occasion that she doesn't want to risk using magic anymore."

"Do Death Eaters come to Shell Cottage often?"

"I don't know," said Ginny, "but if I were her, I'd rather be prepared, wouldn't you?"

Before Draco could answer, he returned to the dining room holding a small silver flask. "Once you take this, you'll have an hour to get in and out of that vault."

Ginny nodded and safely tucked the flask into her pocket.

"The first group is about to go to Hogsmeade. I'm going to go say goodbye," said Bill.

Draco and Ginny followed him into the yard just in time to see Ron, Hermione, and Harry disappear. Luna and Dean waited for ten minutes before apparating to a slightly different location. Only Ginny, Draco, and Griphook were left.

"What are you going to do now, Bill?" asked Ginny, hugging her brother.

"I'm going straight to the Order. I've got a feeling that the final battle is going to be taking place pretty soon, and it's going to be at Hogwarts. The Order needs to be ready to move."

"Tell Mom I say hello," said Ginny.

"I will." Bill bent down, kissed her forehead, and shoved a long, slender package into her hand. It was the sword. "Move quickly and be safe, Ginny."

She quickly grabbed Draco's and Griphook's hands, not wanting to prolong the farewell. She felt the sensation of her bellybutton being pulled upwards and then as if she was being squeezed through a tube. Draco had apparated them to Diagon Alley, behind a small brick wall. Griphook was hidden by a chameleon charm and was taking on the appearance of the brick wall behind them.

Ginny looked around. "It's so sad," she whispered to Draco. Diagon Alley had changed since she'd last visited it. Many of the shops that she had frequented were closed down, their windows broken or half-heartedly boarded up. It looked much more like Knockturn Alley than Diagon Alley.

"Take that potion!" hissed Draco as a tall wizard walked dangerously close to their hiding space.

Ginny downed the contents of the flask in one gulp. It tasted like she was drinking acidic vomit, a flavour that seemed appropriate for Bellatrix's personality. She adjusted the buttons on her robes as she became taller and her shoulders slightly wider. She watched as her hair lost all hints of red and become black as night; she assumed her eyes had changed in the same way. She stepped out from behind the wall. "Well?" she asked, turning.

"Perfect," said Draco. "Now, you know how to—"

"Don't tell me what to do," interrupted Ginny. "We are here because I want to be here, and you are here because your father couldn't stand having you in the house. Escort me!" She shoved her elbow towards Draco, who smiled at Ginny's accuracy in her portrayal of Bellatrix.

"Of course, Bellatrix," he murmured, linking his arm through hers.

Ginny walked towards Gringotts, holding her head high and her shoulder back, pretending to simultaneously own and hate the world. They encountered few other witches or wizards during their walk, but those who they did see stopped and looked at Bellatrix reverently. Ginny told them all that the Dark Lord admired their allegiance and that she would inform him of their dedication.

She strode with confidence up the steps of Gringotts bank and entered the building, trying not to pay too much attention to the warning that was posted on the exterior of the building meant to deter possible thieves.

""Scuse me miss," said a guard when Draco and Ginny entered the building. "I need to probe you for concealment."

Ginny looked at him with disgust. "You need to do no such thing!"

"It's my job, miss."

"Do you think the Dark Lord cares about your job?" she hissed. "I am on a schedule. You will let me pass now!" She held Bellatrix's wand level with the guard's eyes. "I will use it," she warned.

"Go right on ahead, miss. The Dark Lord has our every cooperation."

"Indeed," she said, passing the guard and bringing the wand to her pocket.

Draco escorted her to the nearest open goblin. "We wish to access Bellatrix Lestrange's vault," he stated.

The goblin peered at them. "I will need to see some identification."

"Is my face not identification enough?" asked Ginny, indignantly.

"I'm afraid that I will need more concrete identification. Your wand is perfectly acceptable."

Ginny held out Bellatrix's wand to the goblin, noticing a low whisper and a breeze as the goblin took the wand from her.

"A beautiful new wand," said the goblin.

Ginny did her best not to look confused.

"Follow me," said the goblin. He led them to a rail cart. The cart travelled deep into the vaults, passing through a waterfall, after which Ginny no longer looked like Bellatrix.

"What happened?" she hissed to Draco.

Griphook was the one who answered. "The goblins know that there is an imposter, otherwise these extra protections would not have been put into place."

Ginny motioned to the goblin who was silently leading them to the vault. "How come he doesn't notice?"

Griphook answered again. "He," he pointed a finger at Draco, "has him under the Imperius Curse."

"What?" asked Ginny. "Why?"

"Because he asked to see your wand," said Draco, not taking his eyes off the goblin in front of them. "They must know that Bellatrix's wand was stolen during the scuffle last night."

"How are we going to get out?"

"We'll worry about that one later," said Draco.

"Apparation?"

Griphook grinned evilly. "Not possible. Gringotts _is_ the safest place on Earth."

Ginny forgot all plans of escape when the cart shuddered to a stop and she stood face-to-claw with the largest dragon that she'd ever seen, including the ones brought to Hogwarts during the Triwizard Tournament.

"Not to fear," said Griphook as the other goblin shook a metal device, causing a terrible ruckus but also causing the dragon to cower and retreat. "He's been trained to fear the Clankers."

"But of course," said Ginny faintly.

They watched as the goblin placed his hand on the door of the vault, causing it to open. He then backed away. "Your vault, ma'am."

"Indeed it is," said Ginny, still impersonating Bellatrix even though her disguise had been destroyed. Her eyes widened at the amount of gold, silver, and bronze that was lumped inside the vault. In addition to money, there were also jewels and artefacts. "Do you see the cup?" she asked Draco.

"No," he said, stepping into the vault. He grabbed a large trophy and made to throw it towards the back of the vault, out of his way, but right as it left his hand, it was replaced by seven other trophies. "Shit!" Draco exclaimed, bringing his hand up to his face. "It burned me."

Ginny walked closer to Draco. "Here, I'll help." She shoved a giant suit of armour out of the entranceway to the vault, but experienced the same results as Draco, burned hands and multiplying armour. "What are we going to do?" she asked, nursing her burnt palms and standing very still so as not to touch anything else within the vault.

"Don't move," instructed Draco. "Just look for a cup. Or, more of a goblet. It's silver and has two handles and it's small. Once we see it, we'll figure out how to get it out of here."

Ginny and Draco craned their necks to see the back corners of the vault, trying to peer around the piles of gold and the suits of armour to see if the cup was somehow under something else. Suddenly, Ginny felt a tug at her robes. Being pushed off balance, she fell to the ground, throwing out her arms to break her fall. Through the shower of worthless knuts and galleons and the burning pain in her hands, she saw Griphook grinning down at her wickedly, holding the sword of Gryffindor.

"No!" shouted Ginny, scrambling to stand up, but just causing herself more pain and the creation of more worthless piles that were getting dangerously close to touching Draco. She could tell that he was trying not to move but when Ginny finally managed to stand up and run out of the vault after Griphook, one of the trophies had come into contact with Draco and began replication.

Ginny faced the rail tracks but didn't see the rail cart anywhere. "Draco!" she shouted, "he's left us down here." She heard a deep snort and turned to her left. "With an angry dragon!" She back away until her back was against the wall. The dragon eyed her and snorted a wisp of smoke. "Draco?" she called, voice wavering.

"I got it!" Draco came running out of the vault, replicating piles of galleons following him out and falling onto the tracks. He was holding the cup triumphantly over his head despite the fact that his hands were severely burnt.

"Good," breathed Ginny. "Now how are we going to get out?"

Draco stopped moving and took in his surroundings. Ginny was standing against the wall next to the vault door. To their left was the dragon. To their right was a group of angry goblins. He held out his hand to Ginny, "Grab it!"

She ran to him as the goblins closed in. Draco threw her onto the back of the dragon, passed her the cup, unlocked the shackles tying the dragon to the floor near the vault, and jumped on besides Ginny. "Hold on!" he called.

The dragon took flight, flying upwards higher and higher. Ginny could no longer see the bodies of the goblins that had ambushed them. Ginny clung to the scales of the dragon, which was flying vertically up the shaft that had brought them down to the vault in the first place. She shut her eyes as the ceiling got closer and closer until…

CRASH.

They flew through the wall into the lobby of Gringotts. Witches and wizards dove for cover while the goblins stared at the dragon who had escaped. Another crash and they were outside, flying out of the roof of Gringotts and over Diagon Alley.

* * *

**Please keep reading and reviewing!**


	31. Dragon

Dragon

* * *

Ginny clung to Draco as if her life depended on it, which it did. The dragon was enjoying its newfound freedom and was climbing ever higher into the atmosphere. Ginny hoped that it didn't decide to do barrel rolls out of excitement. Her arms were encircling Draco's waist, and her lower half was nestled nicely between two large dragon scales, stabilizing her slightly, but not enough to make her feel safe. "How are we going to get off?" she shouted to Draco over the noise of the wind.

"It's got to get thirsty eventually. We'll just steal away when it lands and apparate," Draco shouted back.

"Can we not apparate while moving?"

"Not something that I want to risk trying," said Draco. "Hold on!"

Ginny tightened her grip to Draco's torso as the dragon began to dive towards the surface of the earth. The wind in her hair and cold air on her face as they were diving made her feel liberated, and for one brief moment, she felt as if she had no worries in the world.

The dragon pulled up sharply before crashing into the field below them and flew through the air just above the surface. He seemed to be playing; flying up for a period of time and then diving back down to earth in a very snake-like movement. Finally, the dragon came to a rest near a large lake. Its long tongue flicked in and out as he drank the lake water, strongly resembling a cat.

Draco grabbed Ginny's hand and pulled her off of the dragons back while it was still distracted with the lake. They chose to run away from the dragon to find a hidden place where they could catch their breath and get their bearings before trying to apparate into Hogsmeade with a part of Lord Voldemort's soul. They didn't want to make any mistakes.

Suddenly, Ginny felt the breath knocked out of her and fell to the ground, getting a great mouthful of straw in the process. Draco stumbled after Ginny fell, surprised that he no longer felt her weight in his hand. Ginny rolled over and stared up into the giant eye that was hovering right above her. She shifted her weight backwards, trying to get her legs beneath her body so that she could run away from the dragon. To her surprise, instead of opening its mouth and baring his teeth, the dragon stuck out a tongue the size of Ginny's whole body and licked her in the face. She felt steam on her face that was released when the dragon opened his mouth. Ginny held stock still.

Draco couldn't decide what to do in this situation. He got to his feet but wasn't sure if he should try to pull Ginny away from the dragon who seemed to be tasting her sweat or if he should throw his body in front of hers so that if the dragon decided to strike, at least Ginny wouldn't be hurt.

Draco stared as Ginny started giggling and raised her hand tentatively to the dragon's snout. "Draco," she called back to him, "I think he wants to be friends."

"Dragons don't do friendship," said Draco, eyeing the situation suspiciously. "Have you seen the size of his teeth?"

"Well maybe he's saying thank you!"

"For what?"

"Rescuing him from Gringotts!" She placed her palms on either side of the dragon's nose, which looked like she was attempting to hug a tree. The dragon sniffed out a tendril of smoke. Ginny placed her forehead against its hard nose and closed her eyes. "You wouldn't hurt us," she murmured. "You're so lonely and all you want is to have friends."

"It can't understand you," called Draco.

The dragon swished its tail menacingly.

"Yes you can," said Ginny, still whispering sweetly to the dragon. "You can come with us. We'll take care of you. There are so many Death Eaters for you to eat at Hogwarts." She giggled as the tip of the dragon's tongue tickled her chin. "Come over, Draco. He won't hurt us."

"No," said Draco, still eyeing the dragon with suspicion.

"Come on," said Ginny, turning from the dragon but not taking her hand of its snout. "Your name means dragon; you have a kinship with him already." She batted her eyelashes pleadingly.

Draco sighed and walked back to where the unlikely pair was standing. He cautiously held out a hand.

Ginny grabbed it and placed Draco's hand on the dragon's nose. "We need to name him," she said.

Draco felt the warmth of the snout beneath his palm and felt what Ginny had been feeling all along, that this dragon was not going to do them any harm. "Draig," he said.

"Dragon in Welsh?" laughed Ginny.

"You have a better idea?" asked Draco defensively.

"No. I like it." She turned to the dragon. "Do you like it? Draig?"

Draig snorted and nuzzled against Ginny and Draco.

"I told you he just wanted friends," said Ginny.

Draco nodded. 'You were right," he conceded. He grabbed Ginny's free hand and pulled her into him. "I love you, Ginny Weasley." He kissed her lightly on the lips.

Ginny nestled into Draco's body. "I love you too."

The threesome stood in the field until the sun began to set. The purple-orange sky threw beams of light throughout the field, reflecting off of Draig's red scales and bouncing back into the atmosphere.

"We need to get to Hogwarts," said Ginny suddenly, as if coming out of a dream.

"I can't apparate a dragon!"

"You don't need to! We can ride on Draig."

Ginny kissed Draig's snout lightly and clambered onto his back, Draco following suit, climbing on in front of Ginny so that she could hold onto him during the flight. "You know where to go, don't you boy!" She patted Draig's haunches despite the fact that he probably could not feel her light tap on his thick scales.

As if on command, Draig took to the sky, gaining height and flying to the northeast. Ginny and Draco clung to Draig's scales and each other as Draig gained speed and broke through the low cloud barrier that was developing as the evening drew to a close.

Ginny awoke with a start, relieved to find herself still nestled between two of the scales on Draig's back. Draco was leaning over the scale in front of him, arms beneath his head. Ginny didn't know how long they'd been stopped. Draig was curled up on the ground, his tail wrapped around his body, snoring lightly and emitting little puffs of smoke every time he exhaled. Ginny shook Draco gently. "Wake up, love," she stage whispered.

Draco stirred and stared at their surroundings with bleary eyes. "Where are we?"

"I think Draig's landed us in the Forbidden Forest," said Ginny, dismounting. She gave Draig a thankful pat. "Let's get up to the castle."

Draco slid off of Draig's back.

"Do you still have the cup?" Ginny asked.

Draco patted his pocket. "Safe and sound."

"How are we going to get into the castle without being stopped?"

"It's the middle of the night," said Draco. "We'll just have to be as sneaky as possible. If Potter can get in without being seen, then so can we."

Ginny was on the verge of pointing out that Harry owned an invisibility cloak that made things such as this infinitely easier, but stopped herself. Instead, she grabbed Draco's hand. "Let's go."

They picked their way through the flora and fauna of the Forbidden Forest and emerged on the Hogwarts grounds near Hagrid's hut. There wasn't a soul in sight, but Ginny and Draco stuck to the shadows just in case someone happened to be peering out of a castle window. They had only one scare of being discovered when they saw a Death Eater through a window that they were walking right in front of. They ran very quickly to the next dark shadow, but were fairly certain that they had not been seen.

Unfortunately, they were incorrect. Right as they were about to reach the doors to the castle, the doors opened and light flooded into the courtyard. One tall man in black robes came striding out. Ginny and Draco were caught in the patch of light and froze like deer in headlights.

"Come with me," the man said.

He was standing in the shadows and speaking in a menacing whisper. Ginny couldn't see his face, but decided that she was not going to go anywhere with a Death Eater willingly. She pulled out her wand. "Stupefy!" she cried.

The man knocked her spell out of the way as if he was lazily swatting at gnats. "You idiot!" he hissed. He pulled down his hood.

"Snape!" asked Ginny, surprised. "Why didn't you just say so in the first place?"

"Must keep up appearances." He raised his hood back into place. "Come with me."

Ginny and Draco demurely followed Snape into the castle, glad that it was not someone else who had discovered the two of them trying to break in. Although they were technically students, Ginny was sure that she and Draco were no longer wanted in the castle and were probably on Voldemort's 'most wanted' list. Snape led them through various secret corridors throughout the castle and dropped them off in front of an entrance to the Room of Requirement.

"Potter's already in there," he hissed.

Ginny looked at him in surprise. "You helped him too?"

"Potter needs more than help," said Snape snarkily.

Ginny raised her eyebrows but said nothing, not wanting to broach the topic of Snape's hatred for Harry.

Snape turned back to Draco. "Punch me in the face."

"I beg your pardon?" asked Draco.

"Punch me in the face. The physical violence will catch me by surprise and allow you to escape the hands of the Death Eaters. We have to explain why I'm not escorting you to the Carrow's."

Draco looked at Snape sharply.

"Yes, they know you're here. We're almost at the end."

Draco said nothing, but instead brought his fist to Snape's face, leaving Snape with a bleeding nose and an eye that was sure to turn black.

"Good luck," said Snape, turning and walking briskly down the hall, holding a hand to his nose so as not to leave a trail of blood.

Ginny and Draco slipped into the Room of Requirement and were greeted by Harry and Hermione. Ron was sitting moodily in another corner. "Do you have it?" asked Harry.

Draco procured the cup of Hufflepuff from his pocket and handed it to Harry.

"Where's the sword?" asked Hermione.

"He got away with it," said Ginny. "We had other things on our mind." She held out her burnt palms.

Hermione gasped and put her hand to her mouth. "We'll find another way," she breathed. She pulled out her wand and tried to sooth the pain of both Ginny and Draco.

"This is definitely the cup," said Harry, still inspecting the silver goblet.

"So they get you the horcrux but they've lost the only way to destroy it," drawled Ron. "What great use they are."

"Shut it, Ron," warned Harry.

"We may not have a way to destroy the cup, but we've brought something better," retorted Ginny.

"What's that then?" asked Ron sarcastically.

"We've brought a dragon," said Ginny proudly.

* * *

**Special thanks to all my readers, reviewers, and subscribing. Keep doing what you do best! And tell me what you think :)**


	32. Countdown

Countdown

* * *

"What the bloody hell are you going to do with a dragon?" shouted Ron, sending both Draco and Ginny back a step or two. "It's not even useful. It'll set the whole damn castle on fire and it'll be just as likely to eat one of us as it is to eat a Death Eater!"

"That's not true!" said Ginny, defensively. "Draig knows what to do. He wouldn't eat one of us."

"Draig?" Ron snorted. "You find a dragon and you could name it anything in the whole universe and you decide on Draig?"

"I think Draig is a very nice name," said Hermione, stepping between the two red-faced siblings. "Now Ron, this animosity towards Ginny has got to stop. If we want to have any chance of winning this war, we are going to need to keep our friends and our enemies straight. Ginny _and Draco_ are both our friends. Lupin has vouched for them, Ginny has told you her side of the story, and my gut instinctively tells me that Ginny would never truly become a Death Eater. They just acquired another one of You-Know-Who's horcruxes for us and have turned it over without any trouble. They are our friends, Ron, and you had better get over this grudge. I understand that you were hurt, and Ginny is sorry, but it's over now and it will never happen again," she chastised. Hermione turned towards Ginny. "And you! You rile him up. Just ignore him. Stop being so defensive all the time and ignore him when he's being a git."

Ginny nodded.

"Now, there is this problem that we no longer have the sword and therefore no longer have its destructive abilities. We need to look for other options. Harry, how were the other horcruxes destroyed?"

"We used the sword on the locket," said Harry, holding out five fingers and ticking them off as he named a horcrux. "Dumbledore destroyed the ring, but I'm not really sure how he did it. And…Tom Riddle's Diary. I used a basilisk fang."

Hermione grinned.

"You don't think..?" began Harry.

"Ron and I will go get one now. I'm sure no one's actually cleaned up that mess." Hermione grabbed Ron's hand and dragged him out of the Room of Requirement, pausing to snatch Harry's invisibility cloak on the way out.

"What's left?" asked Draco, turning to Harry.

"Well, once we destroy the cup, there are only three more. Nagini, Voldemort's snake, is the only one that I know of, per se. I suspect that there's another horcrux that's tied to Hogwarts in some way. He had Slytherin's locket and Hufflepuff's cup, so I'm sure it's Ravenclaw's something. The last one is the one I'm in the dark about. I'll wing it when the time comes."

"Let's ask Luna about Ravenclaw," said Ginny. "I'm sure she'll know if there's a famous Ravenclaw artefact. Do you know where she is?"

"She's probably in the Ravenclaw common room. She and Neville are simultaneously trying to rally the troops and send home students who are too young to fight or who don't want to fight."

"Who's rallying Hufflepuff and Slytherin?" asked Draco.

"You're joking," said Harry. "You can't really think that I'd send someone down to the Slytherin common room to take a poll of how many students will be accompanying us to battle."

"You'd be surprised at how many families have been ruined by You-Know-Who. It's at least worth a try."

"No it isn't!" said Ginny. "What if they all turn on you and decide to kill you right then and there? It'd make You-Know-Who's life easier if you were out of the way and I'm sure he'd reward them handsomely for their devotion."

"Come on, Ginny. You took a chance on me and now I have to take a chance on them."

Ginny leapt into Draco's arms and captured his lips in a passionate kiss. She only stepped away when Harry cleared his throat awkwardly. "Be careful, Draco," she said, as Draco headed for the door. "I love you."

Draco nodded and slipped out the door.

"I guess it's just you and me now, then," said Ginny.

"Not for long," replied Harry. "I need you to go to the Ravenclaw common room to find Luna and see if she knows about anything that could possibly be a horcrux. While you're there, I want you to brief all the students who've remained in the castle to fight on the importance of killing Nagini. And make sure that they all know how to do a shield charm. It'd be great if you could do that in Hufflepuff and Gryffindor too."

"Oh sure. You just want me to find a horcrux, destroy it, and brief all the troops on how to fight. No biggie. Just give me ten minutes and I'll be back for more instructions."

Harry laughed hollowly. "I know I'm asking a lot of you, Ginny." He paused. As she reached the door, he added sincerely, "Thank you."

Following Draco's lead of no sentiment at the end of all things, Ginny gave Harry and nod and a salute as she left the room. Rearranging the order of her to-do list a little bit, Ginny headed for the Hufflepuff common room, deciding to tackle the tactical part of her list before going on to the search and recover item.

She didn't see anyone else in the hallways as she climbed her way to the Hufflepuff common room. She knocked loudly on the painting and was greeted by a particularly rosy-cheeked Ernie MacMillan. He looked at her with suspicion. "There are some interesting stories circulating about you," he said, but let her into the common room anyways.

It was jammed full of people. Ginny suspected that the entirety of Hufflepuff house was crammed into the rather small common room. She clambered onto a table and cleared her throat. "I know that you've heard a lot of rumours recently. I want to ask you a favour. Disregard everything that you've heard, for now I am going to tell you the truth."

The Hufflepuffs looked at her silently.

"I have just been with Harry Potter. We know that You-Know-Who will be marching on Hogwarts within a week, probably sooner. This school needs to stand and fight in order to give Harry a chance at killing the Dark Lord. It will be dangerous and people will die. But this is our chance to make a stand and to make our voices heard. We do _not_ want to live in a world that is ruled by You-Know-Who. We do not want the Death Eaters to be our professors and our detentions to be performed by each other. We do not want people with muggle blood running in their veins to be discriminated against. We want a better future, where everyone is equal and darkness does not cover up every light corner. If you are willing to fight, say I!"

There was a chorus of 'I's' and several students stood up to applaud for Ginny's speech. However, there were many people who remained silent.

"Thank you," said Ginny. "Now, those of you who do not wish to fight, or who are too young to know enough magic, we are arranging safe passage to King's Cross Station. The Hogwarts Express will be leaving tomorrow at 9:00AM and anyone who does not wish to engage in battle needs to be on that train. However, those of you who will stay and fight, I need you all to prove to me that you can perform a shield charm."

Several shields went up around the room.

"Good. Now, You-Know-Who has a pet snake. It's huge, you can't miss it. It is of utmost importance that this snake is killed. If it remains alive it will limit Harry's chances of being successful when he faces You-Know-Who. Do you understand?"

There were some nods.

"Good!" said Ginny. "On behalf of Harry, I thank you. Good luck to you all." She climbed down from the table and exited the Hufflepuff common room. She could hear the voices starting to pick up as the picture frame swung shut behind her.

When she reached the Gryffindor common room she was greeted by Dean and Neville. She explained Harry's request and gave a speech similar to the speech she'd given to the Hufflepuff students. The Gryffindor's received her much more enthusiastically and many of them pledged to fight. They seemed willing to forgive her for her various faults and more than willing to join the cause against Voldemort.

She left her common room feeling revitalized and optimistic about how the fight against Voldemort would progress. She was sure that there would be a hundred students fighting on her side and with the Order and some people from the ministry, the fight might be close to fair. She felt herself wishing that the Order was already at the castle, giving out the advice that she was giving instead.

She hadn't even had a chance to knock on the picture frame of Ravenclaw before the portrait swung open and Luna's face was looking out at her. "I heard you coming," she said lightly. "The snimpets went berserk!"

Ginny nodded, going along with Luna's bizarre notions about imaginary critters. "Luna, Harry needs your help," she said. "He's looking for an item of Ravenclaw's. Something that would be pretty famous and well known, but might not necessarily is stored in the common room. Any ideas?"

Luna pondered for a moment, skipping back and forth across the common room, ignoring the stares she was getting from her fellow Ravenclaw students. "Oh I do wish there weren't so many snimpets. Could you perhaps stand over there?" She pointed across the room. "They're getting in the way of my brain waves."

"Oh," said Ginny. "Uh, of course." She stood by the window. Deciding that this was as good a time as any to make her customary common room speech, she tapped on the window pane to grab everyone's attention. "I know that Luna's been talking to you guys about the upcoming battle," she started, "and I'm not here to interfere with Luna's fabulous speech giving skills, I am just here to ensure that you can all do a shield charm and to stress the importance of killing You-Know-Who's pet snake. For Harry to be successful, that snake needs to be dead. And for that snake to be dead, I need everyone who is able to fight. Understand?"

There were a few scattered 'okay's' and 'gotcha's.' Ginny hadn't expected the same reaction as she'd gotten from Gryffindor. She hoped that Luna could convince her housemates a little more successfully than she had. She leaned back against the window, hoping that Luna's skip and hop routine would help her think of the fifth horcrux.

Ginny stared around the room. It was a nice common room. Spacious with lots of desks and bookshelves, but not quite as homey as the Gryffindor common room that Ginny was used to. There was a big portrait of Rowena Ravenclaw above the fireplace. _Odd, _thought Ginny. There wasn't a portrait of Godric Gryffindor above their fireplace. There was something about that portrait though. Suddenly it hit her. "Luna!" she cried.

Luna skipped slowly over to where Ginny was standing.

"What's the story behind that?" Ginny pointed at a small diadem that was painted on top of Rowena's head.

"Oh that? That's nothing. Just the lost diadem of Ravenclaw. I haven't seen it in a couple of-"

Ginny didn't wait for Luna to finish her sentence before running out of the common room to tell Harry that she knew what they needed to look for.

* * *

**Thanks for reading and reviewing! Please continue to do so-I very much enjoy reading what you think.**


	33. A Walk on the Other Side

A Walk on the Other Side

* * *

_As Ginny was speaking to the houses of Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw, Draco was making his way downstairs…_

Draco walked silently through the many hallways and staircases towards the dungeons. He didn't see any students on his way, it being late in the evening and the curfew rule in effect, ("No students are to leave their houses after 9pm"). The majority of the inhabitants of the portraits and paintings lining the walls were asleep, but those that were awake didn't give Draco any trouble. He saw no ghosts and no professors patrolling the halls, not even a Death Eater hoping to catch an unlucky student. He supposed it was because he was getting close and closer to the Slytherin common room, home to all of the students who would probably fight with Voldemort. Draco wanted to change that. He made it all the way to the entrance to the common room before realizing that he did not know the password.

As anyone else would do in a situation where they found themselves locked out, Draco knocked, much to the irritation of the art lining the hallway.

"What d'you think you're doing?" asked a girl with a pearl earring.

"Out past curfew. Naughty boy," said one eighteenth century man, shaking his head.

Fortunately for Draco, Slytherin students tended to stay up in the common room and he was spared any more comments by angry paintings. Unfortunately, his saviour was none other than Pansy Parkinson.

"You're back!" she cried, grabbing Draco's arm and pulling him into the common room.

"Indeed, I am," said Draco, removing Pansy's hand from his arm and letting it fall limply to her side.

Pansy put her hand back onto Draco's back. "Come sit by me; tell me where you've been. It's been_ ages_ since we've had a chance to be alone together."

"No thanks. I'm not here to see you."

"But Draco, remember our past? Remember how our parents always said that we were going to get married?"

Draco looked at the pitiful figure that was Pansy. Her face was turned up towards his, her eyes batting lovingly, and her hand clasping onto his robes. "Our parents were wrong."

Pansy didn't seem to be getting the hint. She stood on her tiptoes and brought her lips close to Draco's. Before she could reach his mouth, his hand covered her lips and pushed her gently away from him. "I'm not interested, Pansy."

For a split second, Pansy looked outraged. "You're still with the redhead aren't you?"

"I will always be with her," said Draco. "And she's got a name. Ginny."

"Right," said Pansy, drawing out the word in an almost sarcastic manner. "The Gryffindor girl who became a Death Eater and stole your heart. How romantic."

"Look," said Draco. "I'm sorry. But I really don't have time for this right now." He deftly sidestepped Pansy and headed towards the bedrooms at the back of the dungeon. He quickly found the door he was looking for and knocked.

"What are you doing here?" was the greeting he received.

"Can I come in?" asked Draco.

The boy held the door open for Draco and shut it behind them.

"I need your help, Blaise," started Draco.

"Oh yeah?" Blaise didn't look amused. He sat down on his bed, arms folded in front of his shirtless chest. He'd obviously been getting ready to go to bed. "You disappear for days on end, spending all your time with your new Death Eater girlfriend and your master, and now you want my help?"

"She isn't a Death Eater," said Draco sharply.

"I hear she's got the mark."

"That doesn't matter," said Draco. "She's not a Death Eater."

"Oh?"

"Blaise, I've got to tell you the whole story. You know how we are, indoctrinated at a young age, given the mark and told to bear it proudly whether we want to or not, and taught not to rebel." Draco sat down on the bed next to Blaise. "You've always been better than me, keeping your head down low and not showing your true feelings to anyone. You don't openly support anyone, despite the mark on your wrist. I wasn't so good about that, but after this summer, you know…Well after that, I knew that I couldn't support the cause anymore. I didn't want to be associated with the Death Eaters and with the Dark Lord, but my family is so high up, and I already have a reputation, so I couldn't just drop out of existence. So when the Dark Lord gave me a new task to complete at the beginning of school, I told myself that I would do everything in my power to help it fail.

Conveniently, Ginny was given a task too, and our tasks involved each other. The Dark Lord wanted to get his hands on Ginny so that he could use her as bait for Harry Potter, and Ginny's job was to convince me to become a spy for their Order. Well, I warned her and she told me that she needed my help too, but for whatever reason, we both ended up being sent for by the Dark Lord. Ginny weaved this tale about how she wanted more than anything to serve him, when in reality, she only wanted to be close enough to him to gain information. He tortured her relentlessly and made her torture her own family. I thought it was too dangerous. I didn't want to let her go through with the plan, but it was too late, and she had begged Him for the Dark Mark. After that, we were told to use Ginny's status as an Order member to gain information for the Dark Lord." Draco paused.

Blaise was silent.

"We only got one tidbit of information from him, but it's been really helpful to the Order. And luckily, Ginny has one contact in the Order who knows the whole situation, so he fed us information to leak to the Dark Lord."

"You killed McGonagall," said Blaise.

"No," replied Draco. "With Ginny and another accomplice, we staged her death so that the Dark Lord would believe I had fulfilled my mission. And he did. But after that, things began to go south. He found out that we'd both been lying to him and had us imprisoned in the cells beneath my house. I was imprisoned in _my own house_. Can you believe that? Anyways, we managed to escape and I've come back to the castle with Ginny and Harry Potter. We know that the Dark Lord is going to attack soon. Harry knows too much about how to kill him and he'll want to kill Harry before he becomes any more exposed. This is where you come in. You've been in the castle for the whole year; you know who in Slytherin is loyal to the Dark Lord and who has doubts. I need you to talk to everyone who has doubts and convince them to turn against the Death Eaters and fight with me and Harry when it's time."

Blaise was silent for a good while.

Draco waited patiently for Blaise to speak. He'd given his spiel, it was Blaise's turn.

"I have been your friend for a long time, Draco," said Blaise. "And I've never held anything back from you. So I'm going to tell you how I see this. You're going to get killed. Your father and the Dark Lord know that you are a traitor, and to your father, for whom the family name is everything, that is the worst thing that could happen to his only son. He will kill you out of pride."

"But will you help me?" asked Draco, ignoring the fact that Blaise was right. As soon as Lucius landed on Hogwarts grounds, he would come after Draco.

"I will help you, provided that if we are still alive when everything is said and done, you will treat me to a butterbeer and introduce me to this new girl of yours."

Draco looked surprised at his request.

"Your emotions betray you, Draco. I can tell how you feel about her just through your voice when you talk about her."

"It's a deal then," said Draco, then, lightening the mood, "you just promise me you won't try to steal her for yourself."

"I'd never steal someone from you," said Blaise.

"What about Charlotte Niece?"

"We were six years old! And I was much more handsome," laughed Blaise.

"You should've kept your hands on that one," said Draco. "She sure was a cutie."

"I'll take anyone as long as Pansy stays away!"

"Never has it ever been easier to hook a girl," said Draco, shaking his head. "The problem is getting rid of her."

Blaise laughed and clapped Draco on the back. "I'm glad to have you around," he said. "And that you've come to your senses about who you want to be and what side you're on."

Draco was suddenly serious again. "I appreciate everything you're doing for me, Blaise."

"How much time do I have?" asked Blaise.

"I think you've got two days at most," said Draco. He looked towards the door. "I've got to go regroup."

"Go," said Blaise. "I've got work to do too."

* * *

**Thanks for all the reading and reviewing! Please keep it up!**


	34. The Dark Lord Arrives

The Dark Lord Arrives

* * *

Draco quickly slipped out of the Slytherin common room and walked back towards the Room of Requirement with a slight bounce to his step. He'd thought that Blaise might have needed more convincing than was actually necessary and he was glad to be back on good terms with his best friend. He ignored the angry looks that some portraits were giving him for waking them up and continued on his way, whistling softly under his breath. He hoped that Ginny had met as much success as he had.

Draco reached the passageway housing the Room of Requirement without a hitch and paced three times in front of the wall where the door should have been. It materialized silently. Draco pulled it open and let himself in.

"Welcome back," said Harry, who was sitting in front of the fireplace with Ron and Hermione. Ginny hadn't yet made it back.

"Did you destroy the horcrux?" Draco asked.

Hermione held up a long, sharp, serrated tooth. "All gone. And now we've got a weapon to use when we find the other one."

At this precise moment, the door swung open and Ginny ran in, panting. "I know what we're looking for," she puffed. "It's known around Ravenclaw as 'the lost diadem of Ravenclaw.' There's a portrait of the founder wearing this pretty silver crown and I'm sure that it's what we're looking for. Luna said that no one has seen it for a while."

"I know where it is," said Harry.

"Where?" asked Hermione excitedly.

"It's here. In the Room of Requirement. 'Course, when I saw it last the Room of Requirement was behaving as an old storage room. We'll all have to leave the room and wish for the room to become a storage room instead of what it is now and I think I'll be able to find it. It was resting on the head of some old statue."

"Alright, let's do it," said Ginny, heading back for the door.

Ron grumbled but got off his seat and followed the rest of the group to the door. They quickly stepped outside, but there was a greeting party. Facing them, wands at the ready, were Crabbe and Goyle.

"Knew you'd come out eventually," sneered Crabbe. "We've been waiting here for hours."

"Unlikely," said Ginny, reaching for her wand, "as I only arrived minutes ago."

Goyle raised his wand. "Let's just kill them and be off with it."

"I wouldn't do that," said Ginny. She pointed her wand at Goyle. "These are my prisoners and I will bring them to the Dark Lord as I see fit."

"He told us to be on the lookout for you," said Crabbe. "Said you were a traitor. And him!" He pointed at Draco.

"I think you must have misheard," said Draco. "We've been instructed to act as traitors in order to gain their trust. But never mind that, you've come in here and ruined the whole plan. I'll just have to lock them in this room until the Dark Lord decides to show up."

"I still think we ought to kill them," said Goyle.

"Don't be stupid, Goyle," said Ginny. "What would the Dark Lord do to you if you were the one who killed his prize? I don't think you want to find out. I'm sure it would be painful and gruesome."

"Let me just lock the prisoners in the room and then we can have a nice long chat until the Dark Lord arrives, eh?" said Draco.

Goyle grunted but didn't protest.

"Good." Draco walked Harry, Ron, and Hermione three times in front of the door to the Room of Requirement and shoved them inside. "Destroy that horcrux, we'll get you out when they're no longer a problem," whispered Draco.

He shut the door behind them and locked it with a simple charm. "So," he said, turning back to where Crabbe and Goyle were standing, "the Dark Lord gave you orders to kill Harry Potter?"

"He did. And we would have fulfilled our orders had you not gotten in the way," said Goyle grudgingly.

"Has it occurred to you that the Dark Lord might be having fun at your expense? Ginny is right, he would have tortured and killed you if you had killed Harry Potter before he'd even laid eyes on him."

"He gave us orders," said Crabbe. "It's probably best if we follow them. He also said that you and she are traitors. I bet he'd give us a reward if we killed the traitors."

"Yeah," said Goyle. "He'll give us something nice. Do you think he'll give us something even nicer if we torture them before we kill them?"

"Enough," said Ginny, stepping forward so she was almost nose-to-nose with Goyle. "You're going to regret this," she hissed. She stepped back and before Goyle could open his mouth to cast a spell, Ginny had hurled a bat-bogey hex at him. Goyle was caught off-guard and screamed, swatting at the figures attacking his face.

Crabbe was quicker. He managed to cast the Killing Curse towards Draco, but it was blocked. Draco returned with Sectumsempra, but managed only to graze the back of Crabbe's hand.

While Goyle was fighting the bogeys, Ginny hit him with Petrificus Totalus and conjured a rope, tying together his hands and his feet. She then turned her attention towards Crabbe and Goyle. Draco and Crabbe were fixed in an elaborate dance with each other, casting and repelling their spells. Since neither of them was paying her any attention, Ginny realized she could easily stop this duel. She raised her wand towards Crabbe. "Expellia—," Ginny was cut off by a rebounding curse. A jet of red light hit her in the stomach and sent her crumbling to the floor.

Draco felt Ginny's impact in the vibrations of the floor. He didn't know what had hit her, whether it was his spell or Crabbe's, but it hadn't been good. His eyes darkened and he glared at his attacker. "Expelliarmus!" he cried, reaching out to grab Crabbe's wand as it flew towards him. "Petrificus Totalus!" As Crabbe fell to the floor, Draco took a page from Ginny's book and conjured ropes to tie him up. Finally, he cast "Obliviate!" He did the same to Goyle and dragged the pair behind a large statue. Then he ran to Ginny.

She was out cold, but still breathing. Draco tried to think back to spells that he'd thrown at Crabbe as they were duelling, but couldn't think of anything that would cause instant unconsciousness. He supposed that it didn't have to be instant. She could have been hit by something else and then hit her head when she fell to the floor. He cradled her head in his lap. "Enervate," he said softly, pointing his wand at her face.

Ginny's eyes opened slowly and blinked a couple times. She looked as if she'd been drugged. Her eyes seemed hazy and glassed over. She couldn't focus on any one thing. Draco picked her up and carried her to the Room of Requirement. He quickly unlocked the door and slipped inside. "Hermione? Harry?" he called. He slid his arm along an old desk to clear it of rubbish and laid Ginny down on the surface.

Hermione, Harry, and Ron came towards the front of the room. "We got the diadem," said Hermione. Then she saw Ginny. "Oh my gosh." She raised her hands to her mouth. "What did she get hit with?"

"I don't know," said Draco. "She got hit by a ricochet. I don't think it was mine, so it had to be something that Crabbe cast."

"Did you kill him?" asked Ron.

"No," said Draco, smoothing Ginny's hair. "They're tied up and hidden behind a statue with their memories erased."

"Did you get their wands?" asked Hermione.

"Yeah, they're here." Draco reached into his pocket and removed two black wands. "The shorter one is Crabbe's."

"Perfect," said Hermione, removing her own wand. The grabbed Crabbe's short, black wand and pointed her own at it. "Priori Incantatem!"

A small statue that had been blasted to pieces emerged from the tip of the wand, followed by an image of Ginny being hit in the stomach and doubling over before falling to the floor. More images appeared, but no one paid them any attention.

"She was hit in the stomach by a jet of red light that caused her to become dazed and confused, almost as if she'd been drugged. What could that be? What could that be?" Hermione was talking to herself.

"It'd be easier if there was a spell that just told you what she'd been hit with in words," said Ron.

Hermione glared at him. "That's not helping, Ronald." She cast a couple more spells on Ginny, which Draco assumed were for diagnostic purposes. "Oh!" said Hermione. "I think I know what it might be." She dug into one of her pockets and pulled out a thick textbook.

Draco stared at her.

"It's bigger on the inside," Hermione said nonchalantly. She flipped through the pages until she came to the one she was looking for. "Reverso cannabisum."

Ginny's eyes cleared instantly and Draco helped her move into a sitting position.

"What was that?" he asked.

"Muggles use this herb called marijuana for pleasure, illegally of course," explained Hermione. "Crabbe managed to hit Ginny with a spell that would give her all the adverse side effects of the drug usage. I just had to remove it all from her system."

"I bet he thought it was funny," said Draco bitterly. "A curse that gives someone all the bad side effects…that's just like him."

"How do you feel now, Ginny?" asked Harry, speaking for the first time since Ginny's been brought into the room.

"Fine, except I have this slamming headache."

"I'll take care of it," said Hermione. She waved her wand and muttered something that took all the pressure out of Ginny's head.

"Thanks, Hermione. You're a real miracle worker."

Hermione burned with embarrassment. "It was nothing," she muttered.

"Right," said Harry. "We destroyed the diadem. What progress did you two make?"

"I talked to Blaise Zabini," said Draco, "a trusted friend of mine. He's going to try to rally some of the Slytherin troops. I've left all the details up to him, but he'll get us help, I guarantee it."

"Good," said Harry. "At least that will be unexpected. What about you, Ginny?"

"I talked to everyone and some people seemed pretty enthusiastic about helping us out. A lot of others are going to head for the train first thing tomorrow morning though. I got okay support from Hufflepuff, awesome support from Gryffindor, and not very much support from Ravenclaw, but I think Luna's going to work on them."

"Good," said Harry. "And they all know about the importance of the snake?"

"Yes sir," said Ginny, mocking a salute.

"Good."

Ginny suddenly gasped in pain at the same moment that Draco turned white.

"What's going on!" shouted Ron.

Neither Ginny nor Draco answered him.

"Hello?"

They remained silent.

Hermione turned to Ron. "My best guess is that You-Know-Who is sending a message to anyone who has a Dark Mark. Either that or he's singled them out for some reason."

Ginny's face slowly regained some colour. Draco drew a shaky breath. "He's coming tomorrow," he said.

"Why did he include you when making his plans?" asked Harry.

"He wants us to know," said Ginny, grabbing Draco's hand. "He wants us to put up a fight."

* * *

**Sorry for the delay-exams... Thanks to all of my readers and reviewers, please continue to do so :)**


	35. The Battle Begins

The Battle Begins

* * *

Ginny and Draco were sitting across from Hermione, Harry, and Ron talking tactics. However, there were so many unforeseeable events that might occur over the course of the battle, that it was hard for the group to come up with a concrete plan.

Hermione conjured some mugs and served tea to her frustrated friends.

"How about this?" said Harry. "We need the castle to fight. The Death Eaters are going to overrun the school and we'll need students to tackle them in groups. While the school is fighting Death Eaters, I will search for Nagini and keep my eye on the movement of Voldemort. I don't expect that he'll come to the castle until he thinks it's about time to kill me. You guys will have to stave off the Death Eaters and make sure that Nagini gets killed in case I cannot find her."

"I think we're going to have to worry about more than just Death Eaters, Harry," said Ginny, sipping on her tea, some colour returning to her face.

"What do you mean?"

""I'm sure he's been recruiting just like we have. There are going to be werewolves and giants and all sorts of foul creatures that he brings to the castle too. We're not just going to be fighting humans." Ginny raised her mug to her lips. "Good thing we've got Draig!"

"There will also be dementors," said Draco. "They're a particular favourite of his."

"Is the Order going to come on time?" asked Ron.

"They'll be here. Snape will have told them as soon as he got the message," said Ginny.

"Okay. I want everyone to get some sleep," ordered Harry. "I'm going to find some of the more sympathetic professors and see if they will set up some sort of rudimentary protections around the castle. Then I'm going to take care of the Carrow's. The sooner we get them out of the way, the better."

"I'm coming with you, Harry," said Hermione.

"Me too," added Ron.

"We'll go retrieve Crabbe and Goyle and lock them in this room. If you don't kill the Carrow's, you can shove them in here too. I'm sure the Room of Requirement won't let them out, but it's probably better to erase their memories too, just to be safe," said Ginny.

"They're skilled at nonverbal magic," said Draco, "so be on the lookout for that."

Harry nodded. "Good luck in the morning."

Draco nodded back at him and grabbed Ginny's hand. "Let's move these guys before someone accidentally stumbles upon them."

The pair left the room and walked to the statue behind which Crabbe and Goyle were laying silently. Unfortunately they had woken up and were glaring at Draco and Ginny, no doubt wondering why those were the first faces they'd seen and why they were tied up in the first place.

"Wingardium leviosa!" said Ginny, pointing her wand at Crabbe. She levitated him to the door of the Room of Requirement and paced three times in front of the entrance before the door opened to show a dark cell with stone walls that were emitting some sort of magical force field.

Draco followed her into the room and dropped Goyle's body against the wall. He double-checked the ropes binding their feet and hands together. "Any other precautions you want to take, darling?" he asked, glaring at Crabbe and Goyle, who at this point just looked confused.

"Yeah," said Ginny. She whipped out her wand and pointed it straight at Crabbe's face. "Stupefy maximus!" She repeated the spell for Goyle. "We might as well have them be unconscious for as long as possible."

Draco smiled at her. "Oh how right you are." He grabbed her hand and escorted her out of the room. "Where to?"

"You know, normally I'd say we spend the night in the Room of Requirement, but that seems to be taken. I suppose we could go to my room, but I do share it with four other Gryffindor girls."

Draco wrinkled his nose. "As wonderful as a night with five girls sounds, I think I'd prefer if this night was just spent with you."

Ginny squeezed his hand. "We could go out to the forest and sleep near Draig. He'll keep away anything that might want to eat us in the middle of the night."

"Yeah, okay. It's not like we'd get a very pleasant reception if we went down to sleep in my quarters."

"As much as I'd love to see the look on Pansy's face…" Ginny giggled. "I'd take the Forbidden Forest over her nosy ass any day."

Draco and Ginny walked out of the building, careful to avoid any shadows that they saw on the opposite wall in case it was that of an unforgiving professor. The night air was warm with a gentle breeze and there were no clouds in the sky. The stars and moon shined brightly, lighting the grounds through which Ginny and Draco walked.

Ginny stopped suddenly and turned to face Draco. "Draco, if anything happens to you tomorrow, or if anything were to happen to me, I just want you to know…I'm so glad that things have happened the way they have. I wouldn't change the last few months for the world, and I love you, very much."

Draco looked down at Ginny, admiring the freckles that adorned her face and the shape of her eyes as she looked up into his. "Nothing is going to happen to either one of us tomorrow. We know how they play, and we're better than that. We'll just stick together and everything will be fine." Draco couldn't tell if he believed what he was saying or just wanted to believe it. If his father came after him, there was a distinct possibility of blood, and surely one of them would die. It wouldn't be him though. It couldn't be. He had too much to live for.

Ginny looked at him rather dubiously, but didn't call him out on it. He'd said everything that she had wanted to hear, regardless of whether or not those statements ended up being the truth. Well, almost everything that she'd wanted to hear. She blinked a couple times, willing herself not to think about the possibilities of the next day.

"Ginny," said Draco softly. "I love you too." He lowered his lips until they met hers and traced the outline of her lips with his tongue before snaking into her mouth and gently touching her tongue with his own. Her fingers wound up in his hair, clenching it and pulling his head down closer to hers.

Their gentle kiss turned into one of longing and need. Ginny pressed her body up against Draco's, feeling his hardness against her abdomen and pushing her breasts into his chest. Her fingers migrated from his hair to his back, nails digging into the skin, pulling him ever closer. One of Draco's hands rested on her bottom, the other was intertwined in her hair, resting on the back of her next. Their tongues touched and twisted around each other, stopping when Ginny gently sucked Draco's lower lip into her mouth. She was repaid in kind before Draco's mouth moved to kiss her neck, her check, her nose, and to bite her earlobes.

Ginny sighed with pleasure.

"Do you want to…?" Draco whispered huskily in her ear.

"More than anything," Ginny breathed. "But not tonight."

Draco pulled away, giving Ginny a questioning glance.

"I love you, Draco. And I want to, I really do, but I want to wait until tomorrow, or the day after, when the battle ends, because we are both going to make it back to each other and we're both going to be okay. And we won't ever have to worry about You-Know-Who or other Death Eaters again, we can just relish each other and the fact that we are still alive and in love." Ginny looked at him pleadingly. "Is that okay?"

Draco grabbed her hands. "Of course it's okay. If that's what you want, we will make it happen. I will come back to you, Ginny." This time Draco said it with conviction. He would make it back to her if he had to kill a million Death Eaters to get there.

"I know you will," she breathed an audible sigh of relief. "Let's get some sleep?"

"Sure." Draco grabbed her hand, trying to ignore the throbbing pain that was starting to make itself known in his pants. They walked silently into the Forbidden Forest, looking for their dragon. Minutes later, they found him curled up beneath a giant evergreen tree, snoring slightly and emitting smoke with every exhalation.

Ginny conjured a blanket and spread it out on the ground next to the sleeping Draig. She lay down on her side, her back against the dragon and her arms and legs draped over Draco's body. "Thank you," she whispered as she was drifting off to sleep.

Ginny dreamt of fire. The whole world seemed to be on fire and there were people everywhere, screaming and running. There was a giant black figure who seemed to thrive on fire, his body getting bigger and bigger as he absorbed the fire that was taking over the world.

She awoke with a start and sat straight up, her back burning. Draco, who had previously awoken and had been watching her sleep, snorted. "That's what you get for sleeping with your back against a dragon."

"Oh thanks," said Ginny sarcastically, using her wand to freeze bits of bark and leaves that she held against her hot back. "Is there actually any damage?"

Draco moved towards her and lifted up the back of her robes and the shirt she was wearing beneath them. "I don't think so," he said, rubbing the area in question. "I think you're just a little overheated." He kissed the back of her neck.

Ginny laughed nervously. "So today's the day, huh?"

"Yeah," said Draco, standing up and patting Draig on the head. "Are you ready to head up to the castle?"

"I s'pose." Ginny stood up and joined Draco by their dragon. She patted his nose and whispered into his giant ears. "Do me proud today."

Draco pulled her away from Draig. "Let's go. You want to eat before the fight, right?"

Ginny followed Draco to the Great Hall, where they found Harry standing front and centre, where Dumbledore used to stand, telling all the students that today was the day they would have to face Voldemort. He reiterated the importance of killing the snake and warned his classmates that they might be facing more than just Death Eaters. Standing behind Harry were Ron and Hermione, along with the entire Order of the Phoenix and several other professors.

"We've put some protections around the castle to keep the Death Eaters out for as long as possible," said Harry, "but it will not hold them forever. We must be prepared for an invasion of the castle. You must be prepared to kill and maim, not just stun. Remember, these people want to kill you. Don't let them." He then went into detail about the Sectumsempra curse, and how it would cause severe bodily harm to the person whom it was cast upon, without the student actually having to cast the Killing Curse. "I don't want to turn you into monsters," said Harry finally, "I just want to rid the world of the ones attacking us."

Some student clapped as Harry finished his speech, but many others looked more as if they might throw up. Ginny felt more like the latter. She knew what they were going to be facing. Vicious people who really did want nothing more than to kill them and rid the world of "muggle-loving scum." Her eyes scanned the Order members standing at the front of the room. "C'mon," she said, grabbing two scones and Draco's hand. "I want you to meet my dad before all hell breaks loose."

Ginny and Draco walked towards the Order, but before they could reach the main group, Ginny's father had broken away and was heading down the aisle towards them. He enveloped Ginny in a massive hug, saying that he was proud of her and had been so worried.

"You didn't have to worry, Dad," said Ginny, her voice muffled into his shoulder. She pulled away. "You didn't have to worry because Draco was there with me, the whole time." She pulled Draco closer to her father. "Dad, this is Draco Malfoy, and he's the best man I know."

Draco shook Arthur Weasley's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir," he said.

"Remus has told us everything. Thank you for being there for my Ginny," said Arthur. His demeanour changed slightly. "What of your father?"

"I do not consider Lucius Malfoy to be my father, sir. I agree with none of his values and believe that he is worthy of the Dementor's kiss."

"Very well," said Arthur. "I will be proud to fight alongside you."

Before Draco or Ginny could say a word, Fred and George had bounded down the aisle as well. "Been a while, Gin," said Fred.

"We hear you're not a git anymore," said George, looking at Draco.

"Welcome to the family," said Fred. He pulled Ginny, Arthur and Draco into a big group hug completed by George. "Glad to have you on our side now."

Draco nodded. "Thanks," he said, slightly awkwardly.

Ginny pulled out of the hug.

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!" The voice came out of nowhere, quiet and menacing, yet vicious and inhuman. It was a voice that was recognizable to everyone. The Great Hall fell silent. "Send me Harry Potter, and none of you need to die. Send me Harry Potter, and my Death Eaters, my werewolves, and my various other allies will not feel the need to kill and feed on your dead bodies. Send me Harry Potter and you will live."

* * *

**Thanks to my readers and reviewers! Let me know what you think of this chapter :)**


	36. The Final Battle: Part One

The Final Battle: Part One

* * *

The silence in the Great Hall was almost suffocating. No one knew quite how to respond to the demands of the Dark Lord. It was clear that Harry wasn't just going to walk out onto the grounds and give himself up, leaving the rest of the school to live under the dominion of Voldemort for the rest of their lives. No, they had all waited too long for this day. People had already died so that this day could come. Harry thought of Dumbledore, of Sirius, his parents, and all the innocent people that Voldemort had killed for the fun of it, or to bring himself closer to Harry. He would not give himself up. They had to fight. They had to _win._

Harry cleared his throat and began to speak again. "We will not give in to the requests of Lord Voldemort. He is not our lord. He has no power over us. We are better than him. He tortures and kills people for sheer pleasure. We cannot let this continue. When they attack, we will fight."

As if on cue, Voldemort spoke again. "You have thirty minutes."

The imminence of the battle stirred the Great Hall into action. Students stuffed the rest of their breakfasts into their mouths and began practicing defensive spells with their neighbours. Professor Sprout rounded up a group of her students and took them through a tunnel to the greenhouses to grab various plants that could potentially be used against the Death Eaters, before coming back to the castle and securing one of the towers from which herself and students could launch spells. Flitwick and McGonagall did the same thing with groups of students and the other towers. McGonagall lectured the students on the way out, stating that there was a proper way to turn someone into a cactus, "actually, I've changed my mind. If your technique is a little bit off, then it will be all the more painful for them." Order members and groups of students took to the grounds, placing themselves in strategic locations where the oncoming army wouldn't be able to see them at first.

Few students were left in the building, mainly Harry and his close friends: Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Draco, Neville, Seamus, Dean, and Luna. Fred and George, accompanied by Lee Jordan and several former Gryffindor quidditch team members bounded off to defend the castle's secret passageways.

"I thought you said some Slytherins were going to remain behind," said Ron, glaring at Draco.

"They will be here," said Draco. "They have to go about it a little differently than we do."

"Bollocks," replied Ron. "They're not coming and you know it."

"Who's not coming?" asked a newcomer to the group.

Ron gaped at the student.

"Good to see you, Blaise," said Draco, stepping forward and clapping Blaise on the back.

"You felt the call?" asked Blaise, nodding to Draco's arm.

"We both did," said Draco, motioning to himself and Ginny.

"A lot of Slytherins are out there, waiting to storm the castle with their parents. I've got my people out there too. They can't openly attack their families while the Dark Lord is waiting for Harry to give himself up for the sake of saving lives. When they storm the castle and everything gets more hectic, though, my people are going to turn. It'll be the added boost you need, but I can't tell you exactly when it's coming."

Harry managed a small smile. "Thanks, err, Blaise. I appreciate what you're doing to help."

Blaise nodded curtly.

"What about you?" asked Draco. "Are you going to go out there, or stay here with us for the first wave?"

"There's nothing waiting for me out there. I'll stay here. What do you want me to do?"

"We've got to kill that snake," said Harry. "It's the most important thing that has to happen before I can take on Voldemort by myself."

"I'll keep my eye out for her," said Blaise.

The group stood round silently for a quarter of an hour before anyone made a move.

"I'm going to go out to the grounds with the rest of the Order," proclaimed Ginny. "I can't just wait in here while other students are fighting for their lives out there."

"We'll come with you," said Blaise, motioning to himself and Draco. "We've got history with these people that needs to be ended."

"Should we come too?" asked Hermione, looking at Harry.

"We'll all go," said Harry. The large group joined the students and Order members waiting on the Hogwarts grounds for the initial attack. Lupin was rallying the troops and kept looking anxiously over his shoulder, as if expecting a Death Eater to appear out of nowhere.

Ginny turned and looked at the time. Four more minutes. She didn't think that Voldemort was going to be generous. She lifted her wand up and mentally ran through every painful and debilitating spell that she could think of. She knew how to cast the Killing Curse, but wanted to avoid it in all possible cases. She decided to stick with Sectumsempra whenever possible. Three minutes. She reached for Draco's hand and gave it a nervous squeeze. He squeezed back.

"I love you, Ginny," he whispered.

She replied the same way. Two minutes. Was it just her, or did the day seem to be exceptionally cloudy, just to match the situation? She scanned the horizon, looking for anything out of the ordinary. One minute. Her eyes flashed back to a small spot where something seemed out of place. There was a dark mass, darker than the surrounding clouds, growing slightly larger with every passing second. Zero minutes.

There came a shout from one of the towers and everyone on the ground looked up. There were hundreds of dementors flying in the air above the castle, a giant, swirling mass of black robes descending on the unassuming army.

"Patronus charms!" shouted Harry.

A chorus of "Expecto Patronum," sounded throughout the grounds, but also in the towers. The dementors slammed into the force fields and began feeding on the energy provided, but they were unable to reach the souls of the people beneath them. Stronger Patronus' searched out individual dementors and drove them away from the fight. Harry's stag was doing the most damage against the dementors, but Hermione's otter and Luna's rabbit were corporeal enough to attack the dementors too.

"There's something else coming from the east," cried Ginny, focusing the majority of her energy on maintaining her Patronus, for Draco was unable to produce one of his own, but also straining the see what the dark form on the horizon could be.

"Giants!" shouted Mr. Weasley.

As soon as the giants were within attacking distance, half of the Order switched from the dementors to the giants, trusting the remaining Order members to control and fight the dementors. Spells were flying, but no one seemed to be getting hurt. The giants were throwing trees that were being blasted to pieces by members of the Order. Grawp came careening out of the Forbidden Forest and lunged into one giant, starting a terrible and terrific domino effect, bringing down four giants twice his size. The Order seized this opportunity to disable the downed giants so they would not be returning to the battle.

Ginny's Patronus fizzled out as Death Eaters and werewolves stormed onto the grounds. The students in the towers began launching mandrakes and venomous tentaculas at the enemies and McGonagall's bewitched suits of armour formed a line in front of the students fighting from the ground. "Draco, your dad!" shouted Ginny as a curse whizzed past her ear and hit one of the dead giants behind her.

Draco spun around to face the man who had raised him to believe that war and killing was okay, and that manipulation of a population was necessary for the greater good. This man had poisoned his childhood and ruined his adolescence. He raised his wand, "Avada Kedavra!" Lucius easily deflected the curse, sneering at his son.

"You are such a disappointment, Draco," he whispered. "I do my best to raise you well, and you turn your back on out beliefs." He flicked away another curse.

"They are not my beliefs," said Draco, seething.

Ginny raised her wand to help Draco, but was distracted by the appearance of Bellatrix Lestrange just to her right. "Hermione!" she called.

Hermione and Luna joined Ginny in attacking Bellatrix, who seemed to find the whole situation hilarious. She cackled as she deflected each of their spells in turn, taking pleasure in sending curses right back at them that were much more difficult to avoid. A sharp wind past Ginny's ear told her that if she'd been standing a centimetre to her left, she'd be dead. With renewed anger, she shot curse after curse at Bellatrix, who continued to laugh. Luna transformed her curses into daggers in a beautiful display of magic that went completely unnoticed and launched the daggers at Bellatrix. Each one was knocked away by a small flick of Bellatrix's wand.

Ginny didn't have time to wonder at the state of the fight between Draco and his father, being completely locked into battle with Bellatrix. If she tried to extract herself from the fight, she'd be killed without a backwards glance.

The sounds of the battle seemed to be getting louder. There were screams of dying people, dying animals, and angry fighters. Ginny noticed that there seemed to be a lot of commotion in he air above her head, but couldn't risk looking upwards to see what was going on. She hoped it was Draig, showing his true colours and killing countless Death Eaters. She blinked, opening her eyes just in time to see a curse flying straight at her head, leaving her with no time to react. A small house elf came out of nowhere and leaped in front of her, taking the full extent of the curse, and fell to the ground. Ginny muttered a quick prayer for the dead elf. She glared at Bellatrix and snarled, "Sectumsempra!" The curse hit Bellatrix in the hand, and blood stained the ground. Bellatrix replied with a Killing Curse that missed Ginny by the width of a hair.

"Out of the way!" shouted a newcomer to the battle. Molly Weasley, looking sweaty and defiant pushed Ginny out of the way, glaring at Bellatrix. "You too!" she said, signalling to Hermione and Luna. Bellatrix laughed at the change in battle tactics.

"Ickle mommy come to kill me?"

Ginny didn't stick around to watch the remainder of the fight, but found another adversary and began anew. She couldn't see where Draco had gone, but didn't see any white blond hair splayed against the ground, which she took as a good sign. "Sectumsempra!" she cried, brushing the sweat out of her eyes and dodging the shards of something that had just exploded. She thought the name of her attacker was Dolohov, but she couldn't be sure, and at this point she didn't care. She didn't have time to wonder at the name and history of her attacker, or wonder if the Slytherin students had joined the fight yet, or even let herself thing about whether Draco was still alive. Her spell missed, hitting a tree behind the man, who smiled and shot a jet of red light at her. She managed a shield charm just in time, and decided to try one of Harry's favourite tactics. "Expelliarmus!" To her surprise, her spell made contact and the wand went flying into the air. She finished with "Sectumsempra" and left the man bleeding on the ground. This was no time for sympathy.

Ginny continued to fight for what felt like hours. She'd lost track of all of her friends and seemed to be continuously surrounded by people who wanted to kill her. She vaguely noticed that her Dark Mark hadn't stopped burning since the beginning of the battle and that the Forbidden Forest seemed to be on fire, but nothing mattered anymore except fighting every single Death Eater, one by one, until none were left. She ran to avoid being bitten by a werewolf, throwing curses over her shoulder, and hoping beyond all hope that a stray spell wouldn't hit her while she was in motion.

Suddenly, it seemed as if everything had come to a standstill. The Death Eaters and their companions were retreating. Had Harry won? Was Voldemort dead and the war really over? No. That voice was talking again.

"If you do not send me Harry Potter, you will all die. This is a tragedy to the magical world; every drop of pure blood hitting the ground is a drop that will not be around for future generations. I have ordered my army to retreat. You have one more hour to give up. Harry Potter: you will come to me in the Forbidden Forest, or everyone will die by my hand. One more hour."

Ginny ran to the castle, following the other Order members, each one caked in mud and blood. She ran to the Great Hall, having eyes for only one person. "Draco?" she called. She asked a student passing by, "Have you seen Draco Malfoy?" The student shook her head. She ignored the people that were carrying bodies in from the battlefield and ran back outside, scanning the grounds for the man she loved. She ran towards the forest, looking for a scrap of blonde hair, willing Draco to be alive. There was no sign of him. She ran back towards the castle and saw Ron and her father carrying Fred's body into the castle. She let out a strangled sob, but would not stop. Too many people were dead but Draco was nowhere to be seen. He _had _to be alive. She ran back towards the gated entrance to the Hogwarts grounds, but stopped short before reaching them. A flash of white caught her eye. She backed up.

A body was lying face down in the mud. Ginny's stomach felt like it was trying to emerge from her throat. She knelt to the ground and placed her hand on the shoulder of the body. She flipped the body and instantly breathed a sigh of relief. Lucius was dead. That meant that Draco had been successful. But where was he?

She walked back into the castle slowly, not wanting to face the reality that she could have lost a brother and a boyfriend. She turned the corner into the Great Hall, rubbing her eyes and scanning the room for Draco. She saw the bodies of Fred, Lupin and Tonks lying side by side, and Colin Creevey, his brother hunched over his body, shaking with sobs. Harry wasn't anywhere to be seen, but Hermione and Ron were standing over Fred's body with the rest of the Weasley family.

Ginny walked over to the group, numb. She sat down silently by Fred's body and let the tears come, whether they were tears for Fred or Lupin or Draco, she didn't know. A warm arm encircled her body and she let herself be pulled into the lap of Bill, nestling her head into his shoulder and sobbing.

Lupin was gone. Her brother was gone. Draco was missing. The Dark Lord ruined everything. Ginny clenched her fists. He had to die.

* * *

**Thanks for reading and reviewing-we're getting close to the end. Thoughts, comments, questions? Please let me know what you think!**


	37. The Final Battle: Part Two

The Final Battle: Part Two

* * *

Ginny brushed the tears out of her eyes and wiped her cheeks on her sleeve. "We've got forty-five minutes to determine the best plan of action," she deadpanned.

"It's already decided," sniffed Hermione. "Harry's got to give himself up."

"What?" Ginny looked up sharply. "No!"

"I have to, Ginny," said Harry. "People are just going to keep dying. I can't let more people die for me."

"They aren't dying for you, you big idiot," seethed Ginny. "They're dying so that we can have a better life. So that we won't have to keep dying. If you give yourself up—"

"You don't get it, Gin," said Harry, standing up. "I'm the last horcrux."

"But that means—"

"Yes. I have to destroy myself."

Ginny opened her mouth as if to argue but was shushed by Hermione. "It's no use. We can't kill You-Know-Who until all the horcruxes are destroyed. And if Harry is a horcrux, then You-Know-Who can't be killed until Harry is destroyed."

"But if Harry is destroyed, who's going to kill Voldemort?"

"You've got to trust me on this one, Ginny," said Harry. "I don't know how, but we are going to kill him." He looked around at the sorry crew surrounding the bodies of dead loved ones. "We have to. For Fred and for Lupin."

Ginny grabbed Fred's limp hand. "I'll back you up, Harry. What do you need me to do?"

"Make sure that Nagini gets killed before I get to the forest."

"How much time do we have?"

"Forty minutes. But you better do it within half an hour."

Ginny nodded. She placed Fred's hand neatly over his heart and offered her now empty hand to Hermione. She offered her other hand to Ron, who shook his head. "I'm staying with Harry on this one."

"We need to draw their fire," said Ginny, collecting students from throughout the hall to join her in her current mission. "They may have declared a ceasefire, but I'm sure if we go out there and start attacking, we'll get their attention. With any luck, Voldemort will send Nagini—that's the snake—to investigate and we can just kill her right away."

Ten students looked back at Ginny and nodded.

"We have to do this so…" Ginny chocked. "So that Harry can finish it."

The group strode out onto the grounds.

"Where's Draco?" Hermione asked Ginny under her breath.

Ginny shook her head.

Hermione knew better than to press the issue. If Ginny thought that she'd already lost everything, she wouldn't hesitate to fight to the death. Hermione didn't want to be responsible for pushing her over the edge.

There were still Death Eaters on the grounds, collecting the bodies of their dead. Ignoring the ceasefire and all of her morals, Ginny attacked the nearest one. A dead body fell out of his arms as he gave a shout and fell to the ground, blood streaming out of his back. The cry gathered the attention of others on the field, who immediately stopped what they were doing and ran towards the commotion, wands already firing spells at the Hogwarts students. There was no sign of a great snake. Ginny motioned for Neville and Luna to sneak around the perimeter and try to find the snake on their own.

A man who must have been part giant caught Ginny off-guard in that he didn't attack her with magic. Instead, he had crouched low and tackled her rugby style. She went flying and landed hard on the ground, wand just out of reach of her outstretched arm. The man was advancing. He was at least seven feet tall and seemed to be made purely of muscle. She could see the ripples in his arms as he clenched his fists, ready to knock her teeth out and break her nose. Ginny waited until he was within reach and then kicked with all of her strength. Ginny grinned. A man is a man, and can always be brought down without magic. She rolled to her side, dodging a stray spell, and grabbed her wand. She looked down at the whimpering form. "Sectumsempra."

Ginny looked around wildly. Her companions were all locked in battle with various Death Eaters or werewolves or giants, but there was no sign of a giant snake and neither was there a sign of Luna or Neville. Ginny whirled back around. Someone had screamed! She ran to the nearest battle and joined Parvati in battling a particularly ferocious werewolf. No sooner would one of them launch a spell than the werewolf would dispel it and lunge at them with one of his own. Ginny found it almost mindless, launching and shielding, over and over again. Her mind began to wander.

She saw her opponent, but she wasn't really seeing him. She felt the whoosh of the spells as they flew past her face, but she didn't really feel them. She tried to push the battle into the forefront of her mind, but something else kept taking its place: Draco. Where could he possibly be? Voldemort wasn't one to take captives, though he might make exception for a traitor and torture him until he died after the battle. Ginny pictured Draco's body, limp, covered in blood and pus, lying on the floor of the stone dungeon while Voldemort laughed over it. She pictured Draco trying to be brave, not making a sound when Voldemort inflicted pain…

"GINNY!"

Parvati's voice brought her out of her reverie. Ginny had less than a second to register the red light flying at her chest. There was no time to raise her wand or to jump out of the way. Ginny stared at the speeding jet of light. She blinked. Everything went black.

She was speeding through a jet black tunnel. She couldn't breathe. She opened her mouth and gulped, receiving no air in return. Her lungs were burning. She flailed out her arms, trying to get out of the tunnel. She just wanted to know where she was. She wanted to stop burning. Ginny closed her eyes only to see the same tunnel in her mind. Her body was shooting through the tunnel, spiraling out of control. She tried to open her eyes, but they felt as if they'd been pinned shut.

Slowly, Ginny realized that she wasn't dead. She could, in fact, breathe. Her lungs _were_ burning. Her body felt heavy, but she could just barely feel the grass beneath her fingers. Her eyes still didn't want to open, so Ginny tried to make do with her other four senses. The grass told her that she was still laying on the Hogwarts grounds, probably left for dead. She took a shallow breath. Fire. Something was on fire. She thought fleetingly of Draig. She twitched her fingers and toes. Good, she wasn't paralyzed. She tried to sit up, but her shoulder was immediately pushed back down.

She felt a hand on her neck and a voice hissed into her ears. "Don't move. You're better off playing dead."

Ginny concentrated on taking the shallowest, slowest breaths possible. If she was to be dead, she certainly shouldn't show any movement.

"She's dead, my lord," said the woman, removing her hand from Ginny's neck and walking away from the body.

"Good. Have you received any word of your son?" asked the Dark Lord.

Ginny held her breath.

"We have not yet found his body, my lord."

"The traitors must die," said Voldemort. "Come along, Narcissa. I want to find the person who killed Nagini. She was a favorite of mine."

Ginny felt the footsteps fade away and breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Nagini had been killed and Draco wasn't confirmed dead. These were two very good pieces of news. Now, if only she knew when it would be safe for her to sit up. She listened to the sounds of battle all around her and tried to pick out individual voices. She could hear Bill somewhere off to her right, and she thought she could hear Hermione and…Blaise Zabini.

She heard the cries of "avada kedavra" and "sectumsempra" much more often than she heard "protego." She couldn't tell if and who was dying, if the Order was making any progress, or whether Harry had sacrificed himself yet. The voice she wanted to hear more than anything seemed to be the one voice that wasn't making any sound.

The cries and shouts of battle quickly turned to terrified screams, "Run!" and "Get out of its way!"

She felt the ground shake as people ran past her in all directions, no one stopping to take notice that she was there. Ginny heard a giant roar and felt the hot wind that occurs when fire is projected into the air as Draig joined the fight, and tried to suppress a smile. A smiling "corpse" would be a little suspicious. She hoped that the dragon had enough sense to avoid setting her on fire. A premature cremation was not something that she had any desire to experience. She giggled and unconsciously slapped a hand over her mouth to stop herself from being heard.

_Well, so much for playing dead_, she thought. Ginny gently propped herself up on her arms and opened her eyes. She was greeted by the tear-stricken face of Ron. She grinned.

Ron opened his mouth and placed a hand over his heart. "Th…the…they said you were dead!" he gasped.

"You can't believe everything you hear, Ron," said Ginny, holding out a hand.

Ron helped her stand up. He stared at her for a few seconds before enveloping her in a giant hug. "I saw your body…and I just thought…I mean…Mum and Dad."

Ginny patted him awkwardly on the back. "Don't worry about me," she mumbled. "I'm always alright." She looked around at the grounds while Ron clung to her. Draig seemed to have set the entire Forbidden Forest on fire and was chasing Death Eaters out of the Hogwarts gates with bursts of flame. The sky was black, lit only by the flames licking up the trees of the forest. The eerie light played with the shadows on the ground, highlighting the unmoving bodies and making them appear grotesque. She disentangled herself from Ron's arms. "Is it over?" she asked. "Where's Harry?"

"I don't know. Everyone ran off. There was a big commotion in the forest, but I don't know what happened. We wanted to take advantage of the lull in fighting to collect the bodies of our dead. That's when I found you…" he trailed off.

"Have you seen Draco?" Ginny asked, not sure if she wanted to know the answer.

Ron shook his head. "I haven't even seen Hermione." He looked around worriedly.

Ginny frowned. "Let's do what you were sent out here for in the first place." She put all thoughts of Draco out of her mind. If what Narcissa said was true, then Voldemort hadn't found his body yet. If Voldemort hadn't found it, then that meant that Draco was still alive.

She and Ron set off for the nearest dark mass on the grounds. It was a Hufflepuff student whom Ginny didn't recognize. She grabbed the legs while Ron grabbed the arms and they set of for the door to the castle. Before they'd made it ten steps, Ginny dropped the student's legs.

"Oy!" shouted Ron.

Ginny's face was pale white. She gripped her wrist and sunk to her knees, moaning.

"What is it?" asked Ron, putting the student fully on the ground and running back to Ginny.

Ginny moaned in pain.

A green light shot out from the flames in the Forbidden Forest.

Ginny muttered a single word, "Gone."

Ron kneeled next to her in concern. "What's gone? Harry?" He cradled her head in his lap, keeping his eyes turned to the Forbidden Forest. He ran his fingers through Ginny's hair, trying to soothe her moans of pain, all the while watching to see which figure would emerge from the forest.

"No, you idiot," Ginny mumbled. She lifted her head and took her hand off her wrist. When there used to be a large, black tattoo was now a missing chunk of skin. He wound on her arm was bleeding and gaping, but there was no Dark Mark.

Ron's eyes widened. Not being particularly good with healing charms, he ripped a piece of his shirt and tied it around Ginny's arm. "He did it," Ron murmured in wonder.

"We knew that he would," said Ginny, still pale.

Ron helped her stand up and hand in hand they walked back into the castle, hearts slightly lighter than they'd ever felt before.

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter-sorry for the delay. Please review and let me know what you thought!**


	38. The End

The End

Ginny and Ron walked hand in hand into the castle. They were greeted by bewildered students, the bodies of dead Death Eaters, werewolves, and even a giant that had made it through the front door during the second attack. Ginny was relieved that it was over. She was relieved that she would not have to hide the inky Dark Mark from her skin for the remainder of her life. She was relieved that she was still alive and didn't have to worry about Voldemort anymore. She was relieved that Ron was alive and seemed to have forgiven her.

She mourned, though. For the dead and the families of the dead. For the innocents who died in the battle. She mourned for Fred and George too, because a George without a Fred wasn't much of anything. She mourned for all of the people who she had to deceive to get to this point. Most of all, she mourned for Draco. No one had seen him anywhere. She didn't see a beautiful blonde man striding toward her across the Great Hall, reading to assure her that all was well and everything would be okay in the end.

Ron and Ginny walked towards their family, which was gathering at the far end of the Great Hall. Everyone was there, even the body of Fred, lying on the ground where they had left him before finishing the battle. He looked so peaceful amid the despair and tragedy of the Great Hall, an island of calm in the storm of life. Someone had closed his eyes and wiped all the blood and dirt from his face. Fred could've just been sleeping. Though with him, Ginny thought it was more likely that he could be faking sleep to surprise her even more when she sat down next to him.

He wasn't asleep though. Ron and Ginny had reached their family and Ginny sat down next to Fred, holding his hand. The heat was draining out of his body at a rapid pace. He was no longer a family member. He was slowly becoming a corpse. "We have to give him a funeral."

Molly burst into renewed tears upon hearing Ginny's voice, but Arthur nodded.

Ron and George carried Fred's body to the lake, the rest of the family trailing after them in a slow procession. No one else joined them, being too busy caring for their own dead or searching for their missing loved ones. Ginny leaned up against the tree that she and Draco had sat under together so recently and watched dumbly as Molly said her final goodbyes and Arthur set Fred's body alight. Her tears wouldn't come, and she found herself unable to join her family in a giant, tearful hug as they watched Fred's body become ashes and dust.

She touched George's shoulder as she wandered away from the family. She couldn't bear to be around the sadness, but didn't know where to go to find something happier. Her feet mindlessly led her into the Forbidden Forest, or the remains of it. The trees were still smoldering from the fight, but Ginny didn't seem to notice the heat. The grass beneath her feet was not on fire, and she wandered deeper and deeper into the forest, not knowing what she was looking for.

She wandered for several long minutes, not paying attention to the surroundings, before something caught her attention. The sun was starting to set, and Ginny wasn't sure if what she was seeing was a rock or something else. She let her feet lead her closer, not feeling terribly curious, but grateful for some sense of purpose.

The rock moved.

Ginny stopped dead and got out her wand, ready to kill if she had to. It was just like her, to go wandering in the forest and find the last remaining Death Eater. Just her luck.

The rock moved again.

Ginny raised her wand, not really wanting to give the figure a chance to attack. She still had too much adrenaline from the fight. Instead of casting a spell, Ginny ran at the rock, ready to jump on it, stopping short only when she heard her name.

She lowered her wand and took a step closer, bending down to better see this figure lying at her feet.

"Harry?"

The figure grunted.

Ginny reached around Harry's arms and helped him sit up. He didn't look terribly much worse for wear. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." Harry grabbed onto Ginny's arms and pulled himself into a standing position. "Just a slamming headache."

Ginny looked around, finally taking in the scene around her. The trees had been blasted away from the sight, forming a ring of grass where there had formerly been thick, old forest. A couple bodies were at the outskirts of the ring. "Is this where…?"

"Yeah."

"Where's his body?"

"It burnt itself up." Harry took a step forward and winced. "D'you mind?"

Ginny let Harry put an arm around her shoulders and together they slowly walked out of the forest.

"Ron?" Harry asked.

Ginny nodded.

"Hermione?"

"We don't know."

Harry didn't say anything for a long time. After several pained steps, "Draco?" he asked.

Ginny shook her head, willing herself not to cry. "We," she paused. "We don't know."

Harry squeezed her shoulder. "I'm sure they're both fine."

Ginny nodded, tears gathering in the corner of her eyes.

They walked silently back to the castle. Students, Order members, elves, centaurs, and ghosts all kept approaching Harry to give him congratulations and their thanks. One figure in particular, was well received: Hermione Granger. She ran up to Harry and Ginny from the steps of the castle.

"I've been looking everywhere for you!" she proclaimed. Hermione had one of her arms in a sling and there was a wicked cut reaching from her eyebrow to her cheek, still leaking small drops of blood.

Harry broke off from Ginny and gave Hermione a hug. "Are you alright? Have you talked to Ron?"

"Yeah." Hermione squeezed Harry's hand. "The family is inside. I'm okay. Just got into a bit of a mess with a werewolf."

Harry looked at her sharply.

"It's okay. No bites." She turned to Ginny. "I'd have expected you to be with Draco. Haven't you found him?"

Ginny stared at Hermione for a moment and stalked away from the pair. She heard Harry whisper that Draco was missing before she moved out of earshot. She looked over her shoulder, not being able to help the jealousy that was building up in her system. Of course the Golden Trio had survived and were going to live happily ever after. What about her though, could she survive with Draco missing, or with, Merlin forbid, Draco dead.

The answer was yes, of course she would. There was no chance that she would ever give up on life or ever give up looking for him. Ginny punched a tree, just adding to her other injuries. It wasn't fair. He promised that he would come back to her. His father was dead. He had to have beaten him. There wasn't anyone worse than Lucius, no one with more hatred and anger directed directly at Draco. If he could survive Lucius, he could survive anything.

And yet, he was nowhere to be found.

Ginny couldn't help it this time. The tears came. She fell back against the tree and sank to the ground, hugging her knees to her chest. She cried until there was nothing more to let out. She didn't feel much better. He face was puffy, her teeth hurt from the pressure of her sinuses, there were tear tracks running down her face, and she turned blotchy. "Pull yourself together, Ginny," she mumbled to herself.

As she was standing up, the ground beneath her feet began to shake. She turned around and found herself face-to-face with Draig, who had not a scratch on him. He shoved his face into her arms, licking the salty tears off of her face. Ginny managed a giggle.

Draig used his face and long neck to push Ginny around so that she was standing beside his back.

"You want to go flying, boy?" she murmured. Ginny clambered up onto Draig's back, situating herself between two large scales and missing the feeling of Draco on the dragon's back with her. "Alright." She patted Draig's scales and wiped the remainder of the tears away from her eyes.

Draig took off, soaring just over the treetops of the Forbidden Forest, landing quite soon, near the back of Hagrid's hut.

Ginny slid off his back, looking around.

Draig nudged her gently with his nose, in the direction of the pumpkin patch.

There, shining in the light of the setting sun, Ginny saw the familiar gleam of white blond hair in the dirt. She ran over, relieved to see that the hair was connected to a head which was connected to a body. "Draco!"

The body didn't move.

Ginny slid to her knees, turning Draco's body so that he was facing up and placing her ear to his heart. "Please be alive, don't do this to me," she pleaded. After a moment, she heard the familiar thump, thump of Draco's heartbeat and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Enervate."

Draco blinked.

Ginny conjured a cloth and dampened it, rubbing the dirt and blood off of Draco's face, murmuring sweet nothings and brushing the hair off his forehead. She revealed two large cuts, which had thankfully scabbed over, by the time she finished cleansing his face.

"Ginny?"

Ginny let out a strangled sob and pulled Draco into a sitting position, holding him close to her body. She kissed his forehead and his cheek, being careful to avoid the cuts on his face.

Draco blinked and looked at her gently. "Ginny, I'm okay," he said, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Everything is going to be okay."


End file.
